Sheath including monitoring electrodes for battery health monitoring

ABSTRACT

A battery characterization system includes a drive-sense circuit (DSC), memory that stores operational instructions, and processing module(s) operably coupled to the DSC and the memory. Based on a reference signal, the DSC generates a charge signal, which includes an AC (alternating current) component, and provides the charge signal to a terminal of a battery via a single line and simultaneously to senses the charge signal via the single line to detect an electrical characteristic of the battery based on a response of the battery. The DSC generates a digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic of the battery. The processing module(s), based on the operational instructions, generate the reference signal to include a frequency sweep of the AC component of the charge signal (e.g., different frequencies at different times or multiple frequencies simultaneously) and processes the digital signal to characterize the battery across the different respective frequencies and generate spectrum analysis (SA) information of the battery.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS

The present U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority pursuant to35 U.S.C. § 120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser. No.17/462,510, entitled “Battery monitoring and characterization duringcharging,” filed Aug. 31, 2021, pending, which claims priority pursuantto 35 U.S.C. § 120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility application Ser.No. 16/427,935, entitled “Battery monitoring and characterization duringcharging,” filed May 31, 2019, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,131,714 onSep. 28, 2021, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entirety and made part of the present U.S. Utility PatentApplication for all purposes.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to data communication systems and moreparticularly to sensed data collection and/or communication.

Description of Related Art

Sensors are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from in-homeautomation, to industrial systems, to health care, to transportation,and so on. For example, sensors are placed in bodies, automobiles,airplanes, boats, ships, trucks, motorcycles, cell phones, televisions,touch-screens, industrial plants, appliances, motors, checkout counters,etc. for the variety of applications.

In general, a sensor converts a physical quantity into an electrical oroptical signal. For example, a sensor converts a physical phenomenon,such as a biological condition, a chemical condition, an electriccondition, an electromagnetic condition, a temperature, a magneticcondition, mechanical motion (position, velocity, acceleration, force,pressure), an optical condition, and/or a radioactivity condition, intoan electrical signal.

A sensor includes a transducer, which functions to convert one form ofenergy (e.g., force) into another form of energy (e.g., electricalsignal). There are a variety of transducers to support the variousapplications of sensors. For example, a transducer is capacitor, apiezoelectric transducer, a piezoresistive transducer, a thermaltransducer, a thermal-couple, a photoconductive transducer such as aphotoresistor, a photodiode, and/or phototransistor.

A sensor circuit is coupled to a sensor to provide the sensor with powerand to receive the signal representing the physical phenomenon from thesensor. The sensor circuit includes at least three electricalconnections to the sensor: one for a power supply; another for a commonvoltage reference (e.g., ground); and a third for receiving the signalrepresenting the physical phenomenon. The signal representing thephysical phenomenon will vary from the power supply voltage to ground asthe physical phenomenon changes from one extreme to another (for therange of sensing the physical phenomenon).

The sensor circuits provide the received sensor signals to one or morecomputing devices for processing. A computing device is known tocommunicate data, process data, and/or store data. The computing devicemay be a cellular phone, a laptop, a tablet, a personal computer (PC), awork station, a video game device, a server, and/or a data center thatsupport millions of web searches, stock trades, or on-line purchasesevery hour.

The computing device processes the sensor signals for a variety ofapplications. For example, the computing device processes sensor signalsto determine temperatures of a variety of items in a refrigerated truckduring transit. As another example, the computing device processes thesensor signals to determine a touch on a touch screen. As yet anotherexample, the computing device processes the sensor signals to determinevarious data points in a production line of a product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a communicationsystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a computingdevice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a computingdevice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a computingdevice in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5A is a schematic plot diagram of a computing subsystem inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5C is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5D is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5E is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a drive center circuit inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a drivesense circuit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an example of a power signal graph in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is an example of a sensor graph in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of another example of a power signalgraph in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of another example of a powersignal graph in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of another example of a powersignal graph in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 11A is a schematic block diagram of another example of a powersignal graph in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a power signalchange detection circuit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of adrive-sense circuit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a drive-sensecircuit (DSC) configured simultaneously to drive and sense a chargesignal to a battery that may optionally be implemented to service one ormore loads in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a DSC that isinteractive with a battery in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of various typesof signals that may be provided from a DSC to a battery in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 19A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a DSC that isinteractive with battery charge supply circuit and a battery inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 19B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSCthat is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a battery inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 20A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSCthat is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a battery inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 20B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSCthat is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a battery inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 21A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 21B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSCthat is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a battery inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram showing various embodiments ofcharge signals that may be used to charge a battery in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 23 is a schematic block diagram showing other various embodimentsof charge signals that may be used to charge a battery in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 24A is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of azero-time-constant model of an equivalent circuit of a battery that maybe used to perform battery characterization in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 24B is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of aone-time-constant model of an equivalent circuit of a battery that maybe used to perform battery characterization in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 24C is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of a dualpolarization (DP) model of an equivalent circuit of a battery that maybe used to perform battery characterization in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 25 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 28 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of operationsas may be used to perform battery characterization in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 30 is a schematic block diagram showing another embodiment of acircuit configured to provide a reference signal having a desiredfrequency to a DSC in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of operationsas may be used to perform battery characterization across a number ofdifferent frequencies in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a schematic block diagram showing various embodiments ofdifferent possible operational sequences involving battery charge,battery characterization, non-charge including various combinationsthereof in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a method forexecution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 34A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a methodfor execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 34B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a methodfor execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 35A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a DSC that isinteractive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z) circuit inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 35B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 35C is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z) circuitin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z) circuitin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z) circuitin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 39 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of variousexamples of impedance (Zs) such as may be implemented within aconfigurable impedance (Z) circuit in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 40A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a methodfor execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 40B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a methodfor execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 40C is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a methodfor execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 41 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a lead acidbattery such as may be serviced using a DSC in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 42 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a Lithium-ionbattery such as may be serviced using a DSC in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 43 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of integratedelectrodes within a battery casing for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 44 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of integratedelectrodes within a battery casing for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 45 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of integratedelectrodes within a battery casing for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 46 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of integratedelectrodes within a battery casing for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 47 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of integratedelectrodes within a battery casing for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 48 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a sheathincluding integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one or moresurfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring and characterizationin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 49 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a sheathincluding integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one or moresurfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring and characterizationin conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 50 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a sheathincluding integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one or moresurfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring and characterizationin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 51 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a sheathincluding integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one or moresurfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring and characterizationin conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 52 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a sheathincluding integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one or moresurfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring and characterizationin conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 53 is a schematic block diagram showing various embodiments ofcross-sections of various embodiments of electrode patterns impedance(Zs) such as may be implemented within battery casings and/or sheathsfor use in battery monitoring and characterization in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 54 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of impedance (Z)profile monitoring of electrodes as may be implemented within batterycasings and/or sheaths for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 55 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of impedance (Z)monitoring of a singular electrode as may be implemented within batterycasings and/or sheaths for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization and characterization in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 56 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a methodfor execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 57 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery including showing a charge-discharge loop,a charge curve, and a discharge curve in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 58 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment ofcharge-discharge loop and one or more indications of battery healthdegradation as may be used in accordance with battery monitoring andcharacterization and characterization in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 59 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment ofcharge-discharge loop monitoring for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 60 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of batterydischarge characteristics as may be used in accordance with batterymonitoring and characterization and characterization in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 61 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of impedance (Z)monitoring of a battery at a given frequency for use in batterymonitoring and characterization and characterization in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 62 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of impedance (Z)monitoring of a battery across a range of frequencies as may beimplemented within battery casings and/or sheaths for use in batterymonitoring and characterization in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 63 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a methodfor execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a communicationsystem 10 that includes a plurality of computing. devices 12-10, one ormore servers 22, one or more databases 24, one or more networks 26, aplurality of drive-sense circuits 28, a plurality of sensors 30, and aplurality of actuators 32. Computing devices 14 include a touch screen16 with sensors and drive-sensor circuits and computing devices 18include a touch & tactic screen 20 that includes sensors, actuators, anddrive-sense circuits.

A sensor 30 functions to convert a physical input into an electricaloutput and/or an optical output. The physical input of a sensor may beone of a variety of physical input conditions. For example, the physicalcondition includes one or more of, but is not limited to, acoustic waves(e.g., amplitude, phase, polarization, spectrum, and/or wave velocity);a biological and/or chemical condition (e.g., fluid concentration,level, composition, etc.); an electric condition (e.g., charge, voltage,current, conductivity, permittivity, eclectic field, which includesamplitude, phase, and/or polarization); a magnetic condition (e.g.,flux, permeability, magnetic field, which amplitude, phase, and/orpolarization); an optical condition (e.g., refractive index,reflectivity, absorption, etc.); a thermal condition (e.g., temperature,flux, specific heat, thermal conductivity, etc.); and a mechanicalcondition (e.g., position, velocity, acceleration, force, strain,stress, pressure, torque, etc.). For example, piezoelectric sensorconverts force or pressure into an eclectic signal. As another example,a microphone converts audible acoustic waves into electrical signals.

There are a variety of types of sensors to sense the various types ofphysical conditions. Sensor types include, but are not limited to,capacitor sensors, inductive sensors, accelerometers, piezoelectricsensors, light sensors, magnetic field sensors, ultrasonic sensors,temperature sensors, infrared (IR) sensors, touch sensors, proximitysensors, pressure sensors, level sensors, smoke sensors, and gassensors. In many ways, sensors function as the interface between thephysical world and the digital world by converting real world conditionsinto digital signals that are then processed by computing devices for avast number of applications including, but not limited to, medicalapplications, production automation applications, home environmentcontrol, public safety, and so on.

The various types of sensors have a variety of sensor characteristicsthat are factors in providing power to the sensors, receiving signalsfrom the sensors, and/or interpreting the signals from the sensors. Thesensor characteristics include resistance, reactance, powerrequirements, sensitivity, range, stability, repeatability, linearity,error, response time, and/or frequency response. For example, theresistance, reactance, and/or power requirements are factors indetermining drive circuit requirements. As another example, sensitivity,stability, and/or linear are factors for interpreting the measure of thephysical condition based on the received electrical and/or opticalsignal (e.g., measure of temperature, pressure, etc.).

An actuator 32 converts an electrical input into a physical output. Thephysical output of an actuator may be one of a variety of physicaloutput conditions. For example, the physical output condition includesone or more of, but is not limited to, acoustic waves (e.g., amplitude,phase, polarization, spectrum, and/or wave velocity); a magneticcondition (e.g., flux, permeability, magnetic field, which amplitude,phase, and/or polarization); a thermal condition (e.g., temperature,flux, specific heat, thermal conductivity, etc.); and a mechanicalcondition (e.g., position, velocity, acceleration, force, strain,stress, pressure, torque, etc.). As an example, a piezoelectric actuatorconverts voltage into force or pressure. As another example, a speakerconverts electrical signals into audible acoustic waves.

An actuator 32 may be one of a variety of actuators. For example, anactuator 32 is one of a comb drive, a digital micro-mirror device, anelectric motor, an electroactive polymer, a hydraulic cylinder, apiezoelectric actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a screw jack, aservomechanism, a solenoid, a stepper motor, a shape-memory allow, athermal bimorph, and a hydraulic actuator.

The various types of actuators have a variety of actuatorscharacteristics that are factors in providing power to the actuator andsending signals to the actuators for desired performance. The actuatorcharacteristics include resistance, reactance, power requirements,sensitivity, range, stability, repeatability, linearity, error, responsetime, and/or frequency response. For example, the resistance, reactance,and power requirements are factors in determining drive circuitrequirements. As another example, sensitivity, stability, and/or linearare factors for generating the signaling to send to the actuator toobtain the desired physical output condition.

The computing devices 12, 14, and 18 may each be a portable computingdevice and/or a fixed computing device. A portable computing device maybe a social networking device, a gaming device, a cell phone, a smartphone, a digital assistant, a digital music player, a digital videoplayer, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a tablet, a video gamecontroller, and/or any other portable device that includes a computingcore. A fixed computing device may be a computer (PC), a computerserver, a cable set-top box, a satellite receiver, a television set, aprinter, a fax machine, home entertainment equipment, a video gameconsole, and/or any type of home or office computing equipment. Thecomputing devices 12, 14, and 18 will be discussed in greater detailwith reference to one or more of FIGS. 2-4 .

A server 22 is a special type of computing device that is optimized forprocessing large amounts of data requests in parallel. A server 22includes similar components to that of the computing devices 12, 14,and/or 18 with more robust processing modules, more main memory, and/ormore hard drive memory (e.g., solid state, hard drives, etc.). Further,a server 22 is typically accessed remotely; as such it does notgenerally include user input devices and/or user output devices. Inaddition, a server may be a standalone separate computing device and/ormay be a cloud computing device.

A database 24 is a special type of computing device that is optimizedfor large scale data storage and retrieval. A database 24 includessimilar components to that of the computing devices 12, 14, and/or 18with more hard drive memory (e.g., solid state, hard drives, etc.) andpotentially with more processing modules and/or main memory. Further, adatabase 24 is typically accessed remotely; as such it does notgenerally include user input devices and/or user output devices. Inaddition, a database 24 may be a standalone separate computing deviceand/or may be a cloud computing device.

The network 26 includes one more local area networks (LAN) and/or one ormore wide area networks WAN), which may be a public network and/or aprivate network. A LAN may be a wireless-LAN (e.g., Wi-Fi access point,Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc.) and/or a wired network (e.g., Firewire,Ethernet, etc.). A WAN may be a wired and/or wireless WAN. For example,a LAN may be a personal home or business's wireless network and a WAN isthe Internet, cellular telephone infrastructure, and/or satellitecommunication infrastructure.

In an example of operation, computing device 12-1 communicates with aplurality of drive-sense circuits 28, which, in turn, communicate with aplurality of sensors 30. The sensors 30 and/or the drive-sense circuits28 are within the computing device 12-1 and/or external to it. Forexample, the sensors 30 may be external to the computing device 12-1 andthe drive-sense circuits are within the computing device 12-1. Asanother example, both the sensors 30 and the drive-sense circuits 28 areexternal to the computing device 12-1. When the drive-sense circuits 28are external to the computing device, they are coupled to the computingdevice 12-1 via wired and/or wireless communication links as will bediscussed in greater detail with reference to one or more of FIGS.5A-5C.

The computing device 12-1 communicates with the drive-sense circuits 28to; (a) turn them on, (b) obtain data from the sensors (individuallyand/or collectively), (c) instruct the drive sense circuit on how tocommunicate the sensed data to the computing device 12-1, (d) providesignaling attributes (e.g., DC level, AC level, frequency, power level,regulated current signal, regulated voltage signal, regulation of animpedance, frequency patterns for various sensors, different frequenciesfor different sensing applications, etc.) to use with the sensors,and/or (e) provide other commands and/or instructions.

As a specific example, the sensors 30 are distributed along a pipelineto measure flow rate and/or pressure within a section of the pipeline.The drive-sense circuits 28 have their own power source (e.g., battery,power supply, etc.) and are proximally located to their respectivesensors 30. At desired time intervals (milliseconds, seconds, minutes,hours, etc.), the drive-sense circuits 28 provide a regulated sourcesignal or a power signal to the sensors 30. An electrical characteristicof the sensor 30 affects the regulated source signal or power signal,which is reflective of the condition (e.g., the flow rate and/or thepressure) that sensor is sensing.

The drive-sense circuits 28 detect the effects on the regulated sourcesignal or power signals as a result of the electrical characteristics ofthe sensors. The drive-sense circuits 28 then generate signalsrepresentative of change to the regulated source signal or power signalbased on the detected effects on the power signals. The changes to theregulated source signals or power signals are representative of theconditions being sensed by the sensors 30.

The drive-sense circuits 28 provide the representative signals of theconditions to the computing device 12-1. A representative signal may bean analog signal or a digital signal. In either case, the computingdevice 12-1 interprets the representative signals to determine thepressure and/or flow rate at each sensor location along the pipeline.The computing device may then provide this information to the server 22,the database 24, and/or to another computing device for storing and/orfurther processing.

As another example of operation, computing device 12-2 is coupled to adrive-sense circuit 28, which is, in turn, coupled to a senor 30. Thesensor 30 and/or the drive-sense circuit 28 may be internal and/orexternal to the computing device 12-2. In this example, the sensor 30 issensing a condition that is particular to the computing device 12-2. Forexample, the sensor 30 may be a temperature sensor, an ambient lightsensor, an ambient noise sensor, etc. As described above, wheninstructed by the computing device 12-2 (which may be a default settingfor continuous sensing or at regular intervals), the drive-sense circuit28 provides the regulated source signal or power signal to the sensor 30and detects an effect to the regulated source signal or power signalbased on an electrical characteristic of the sensor. The drive-sensecircuit generates a representative signal of the affect and sends it tothe computing device 12-2.

In another example of operation, computing device 12-3 is coupled to aplurality of drive-sense circuits 28 that are coupled to a plurality ofsensors 30 and is coupled to a plurality of drive-sense circuits 28 thatare coupled to a plurality of actuators 32. The generally functionalityof the drive-sense circuits 28 coupled to the sensors 30 in accordancewith the above description.

Since an actuator 32 is essentially an inverse of a sensor in that anactuator converts an electrical signal into a physical condition, whilea sensor converts a physical condition into an electrical signal, thedrive-sense circuits 28 can be used to power actuators 32. Thus, in thisexample, the computing device 12-3 provides actuation signals to thedrive-sense circuits 28 for the actuators 32. The drive-sense circuitsmodulate the actuation signals on to power signals or regulated controlsignals, which are provided to the actuators 32. The actuators 32 arepowered from the power signals or regulated control signals and producethe desired physical condition from the modulated actuation signals.

As another example of operation, computing device 12-x is coupled to adrive-sense circuit 28 that is coupled to a sensor 30 and is coupled toa drive-sense circuit 28 that is coupled to an actuator 32. In thisexample, the sensor 30 and the actuator 32 are for use by the computingdevice 12-x. For example, the sensor 30 may be a piezoelectricmicrophone and the actuator 32 may be a piezoelectric speaker.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a computingdevice 12 (e.g., any one of 12-1 through 12-x). The computing device 12includes a core control module 40, one or more processing modules 42,one or more main memories 44, cache memory 46, a video graphicsprocessing module 48, a display 50, an Input-Output (I/O) peripheralcontrol module 52, one or more input interface modules 56, one or moreoutput interface modules 58, one or more network interface modules 60,and one or more memory interface modules 62. A processing module 42 isdescribed in greater detail at the end of the detailed description ofthe invention section and, in an alternative embodiment, has a directionconnection to the main memory 44. In an alternate embodiment, the corecontrol module 40 and the I/O and/or peripheral control module 52 areone module, such as a chipset, a quick path interconnect (QPI), and/oran ultra-path interconnect (UPI).

Each of the main memories 44 includes one or more Random Access Memory(RAM) integrated circuits, or chips. For example, a main memory 44includes four DDR4 (4th generation of double data rate) RAM chips, eachrunning at a rate of 2,400 MHz. In general, the main memory 44 storesdata and operational instructions most relevant for the processingmodule 42. For example, the core control module 40 coordinates thetransfer of data and/or operational instructions from the main memory 44and the memory 64-66. The data and/or operational instructions retrievefrom memory 64-66 are the data and/or operational instructions requestedby the processing module or will most likely be needed by the processingmodule. When the processing module is done with the data and/oroperational instructions in main memory, the core control module 40coordinates sending updated data to the memory 64-66 for storage.

The memory 64-66 includes one or more hard drives, one or more solidstate memory chips, and/or one or more other large capacity storagedevices that, in comparison to cache memory and main memory devices,is/are relatively inexpensive with respect to cost per amount of datastored. The memory 64-66 is coupled to the core control module 40 viathe I/O and/or peripheral control module 52 and via one or more memoryinterface modules 62. In an embodiment, the I/O and/or peripheralcontrol module 52 includes one or more Peripheral Component Interface(PCI) buses to which peripheral components connect to the core controlmodule 40. A memory interface module 62 includes a software driver and ahardware connector for coupling a memory device to the I/O and/orperipheral control module 52. For example, a memory interface 62 is inaccordance with a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) port.

The core control module 40 coordinates data communications between theprocessing module(s) 42 and the network(s) 26 via the I/O and/orperipheral control module 52, the network interface module(s) 60, and anetwork card 68 or 70. A network card 68 or 70 includes a wirelesscommunication unit or a wired communication unit. A wirelesscommunication unit includes a wireless local area network (WLAN)communication device, a cellular communication device, a Bluetoothdevice, and/or a ZigBee communication device. A wired communication unitincludes a Gigabit LAN connection, a Firewire connection, and/or aproprietary computer wired connection. A network interface module 60includes a software driver and a hardware connector for coupling thenetwork card to the I/O and/or peripheral control module 52. Forexample, the network interface module 60 is in accordance with one ormore versions of IEEE 802.11, cellular telephone protocols, 10/100/1000Gigabit LAN protocols, etc.

The core control module 40 coordinates data communications between theprocessing module(s) 42 and input device(s) 72 via the input interfacemodule(s) 56 and the I/O and/or peripheral control module 52. An inputdevice 72 includes a keypad, a keyboard, control switches, a touchpad, amicrophone, a camera, etc. An input interface module 56 includes asoftware driver and a hardware connector for coupling an input device tothe I/O and/or peripheral control module 52. In an embodiment, an inputinterface module 56 is in accordance with one or more Universal SerialBus (USB) protocols.

The core control module 40 coordinates data communications between theprocessing module(s) 42 and output device(s) 74 via the output interfacemodule(s) 58 and the I/O and/or peripheral control module 52. An outputdevice 74 includes a speaker, etc. An output interface module 58includes a software driver and a hardware connector for coupling anoutput device to the I/O and/or peripheral control module 52. In anembodiment, an output interface module 56 is in accordance with one ormore audio codec protocols.

The processing module 42 communicates directly with a video graphicsprocessing module 48 to display data on the display 50. The display 50includes an LED (light emitting diode) display, an LCD (liquid crystaldisplay), and/or other type of display technology. The display has aresolution, an aspect ratio, and other features that affect the qualityof the display. The video graphics processing module 48 receives datafrom the processing module 42, processes the data to produce rendereddata in accordance with the characteristics of the display, and providesthe rendered data to the display 50.

FIG. 2 further illustrates sensors 30 and actuators 32 coupled todrive-sense circuits 28, which are coupled to the input interface module56 (e.g., USB port). Alternatively, one or more of the drive-sensecircuits 28 is coupled to the computing device via a wireless networkcard (e.g., WLAN) or a wired network card (e.g., Gigabit LAN). While notshown, the computing device 12 further includes a BIOS (Basic InputOutput System) memory coupled to the core control module 40.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a computingdevice 14 that includes a core control module 40, one or more processingmodules 42, one or more main memories 44, cache memory 46, a videographics processing module 48, a touch screen 16, an Input-Output (I/O)peripheral control module 52, one or more input interface modules 56,one or more output interface modules 58, one or more network interfacemodules 60, and one or more memory interface modules 62. The touchscreen 16 includes a touch screen display 80, a plurality of sensors 30,a plurality of drive-sense circuits (DSC), and a touch screen processingmodule 82.

Computing device 14 operates similarly to computing device 12 of FIG. 2with the addition of a touch screen as an input device. The touch screenincludes a plurality of sensors (e.g., electrodes, capacitor sensingcells, capacitor sensors, inductive sensor, etc.) to detect a proximaltouch of the screen. For example, when one or more fingers touches thescreen, capacitance of sensors proximal to the touch(es) are affected(e.g., impedance changes). The drive-sense circuits (DSC) coupled to theaffected sensors detect the change and provide a representation of thechange to the touch screen processing module 82, which may be a separateprocessing module or integrated into the processing module 42.

The touch screen processing module 82 processes the representativesignals from the drive-sense circuits (DSC) to determine the location ofthe touch(es). This information is inputted to the processing module 42for processing as an input. For example, a touch represents a selectionof a button on screen, a scroll function, a zoom in-out function, etc.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a computingdevice 18 that includes a core control module 40, one or more processingmodules 42, one or more main memories 44, cache memory 46, a videographics processing module 48, a touch and tactile screen 20, anInput-Output (I/O) peripheral control module 52, one or more inputinterface modules 56, one or more output interface modules 58, one ormore network interface modules 60, and one or more memory interfacemodules 62. The touch and tactile screen 20 includes a touch and tactilescreen display 90, a plurality of sensors 30, a plurality of actuators32, a plurality of drive-sense circuits (DSC), a touch screen processingmodule 82, and a tactile screen processing module 92.

Computing device 18 operates similarly to computing device 14 of FIG. 3with the addition of a tactile aspect to the screen 20 as an outputdevice. The tactile portion of the screen 20 includes the plurality ofactuators (e.g., piezoelectric transducers to create vibrations,solenoids to create movement, etc.) to provide a tactile feel to thescreen 20. To do so, the processing module creates tactile data, whichis provided to the appropriate drive-sense circuits (DSC) via thetactile screen processing module 92, which may be a stand-aloneprocessing module or integrated into processing module 42. Thedrive-sense circuits (DSC) convert the tactile data into drive-actuatesignals and provide them to the appropriate actuators to create thedesired tactile feel on the screen 20.

FIG. 5A is a schematic plot diagram of a computing subsystem 25 thatincludes a sensed data processing module 65, a plurality ofcommunication modules 61A-x, a plurality of processing modules 42A-x, aplurality of drive sense circuits 28, and a plurality of sensors 1-x,which may be sensors 30 of FIG. 1 . The sensed data processing module 65is one or more processing modules within one or more servers 22 and/orone more processing modules in one or more computing devices that aredifferent than the computing devices in which processing modules 42A-xreside.

A drive-sense circuit 28 (or multiple drive-sense circuits), aprocessing module (e.g., 41A), and a communication module (e.g., 61A)are within a common computing device. Each grouping of a drive-sensecircuit(s), processing module, and communication module is in a separatecomputing device. A communication module 61A-x is constructed inaccordance with one or more wired communication protocol and/or one ormore wireless communication protocols that is/are in accordance with theone or more of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model, theTransmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) model, andother communication protocol module.

In an example of operation, a processing module (e.g., 42A) provides acontrol signal to its corresponding drive-sense circuit 28. Theprocessing module 42 A may generate the control signal, receive it fromthe sensed data processing module 65, or receive an indication from thesensed data processing module 65 to generate the control signal. Thecontrol signal enables the drive-sense circuit 28 to provide a drivesignal to its corresponding sensor. The control signal may furtherinclude a reference signal having one or more frequency components tofacilitate creation of the drive signal and/or interpreting a sensedsignal received from the sensor.

Based on the control signal, the drive-sense circuit 28 provides thedrive signal to its corresponding sensor (e.g., 1) on a drive & senseline. While receiving the drive signal (e.g., a power signal, aregulated source signal, etc.), the sensor senses a physical condition1-x (e.g., acoustic waves, a biological condition, a chemical condition,an electric condition, a magnetic condition, an optical condition, athermal condition, and/or a mechanical condition). As a result of thephysical condition, an electrical characteristic (e.g., impedance,voltage, current, capacitance, inductance, resistance, reactance, etc.)of the sensor changes, which affects the drive signal. Note that if thesensor is an optical sensor, it converts a sensed optical condition intoan electrical characteristic.

The drive-sense circuit 28 detects the effect on the drive signal viathe drive & sense line and processes the affect to produce a signalrepresentative of power change, which may be an analog or digitalsignal. The processing module 42A receives the signal representative ofpower change, interprets it, and generates a value representing thesensed physical condition. For example, if the sensor is sensingpressure, the value representing the sensed physical condition is ameasure of pressure (e.g., x PSI (pounds per square inch)).

In accordance with a sensed data process function (e.g., algorithm,application, etc.), the sensed data processing module 65 gathers thevalues representing the sensed physical conditions from the processingmodules. Since the sensors 1-x may be the same type of sensor (e.g., apressure sensor), may each be different sensors, or a combinationthereof; the sensed physical conditions may be the same, may each bedifferent, or a combination thereof. The sensed data processing module65 processes the gathered values to produce one or more desired results.For example, if the computing subsystem 25 is monitoring pressure alonga pipeline, the processing of the gathered values indicates that thepressures are all within normal limits or that one or more of the sensedpressures is not within normal limits.

As another example, if the computing subsystem 25 is used in amanufacturing facility, the sensors are sensing a variety of physicalconditions, such as acoustic waves (e.g., for sound proofing, soundgeneration, ultrasound monitoring, etc.), a biological condition (e.g.,a bacterial contamination, etc.) a chemical condition (e.g.,composition, gas concentration, etc.), an electric condition (e.g.,current levels, voltage levels, electro-magnetic interference, etc.), amagnetic condition (e.g., induced current, magnetic field strength,magnetic field orientation, etc.), an optical condition (e.g., ambientlight, infrared, etc.), a thermal condition (e.g., temperature, etc.),and/or a mechanical condition (e.g., physical position, force, pressure,acceleration, etc.).

The computing subsystem 25 may further include one or more actuators inplace of one or more of the sensors and/or in addition to the sensors.When the computing subsystem 25 includes an actuator, the correspondingprocessing module provides an actuation control signal to thecorresponding drive-sense circuit 28. The actuation control signalenables the drive-sense circuit 28 to provide a drive signal to theactuator via a drive & actuate line (e.g., similar to the drive & senseline, but for the actuator). The drive signal includes one or morefrequency components and/or amplitude components to facilitate a desiredactuation of the actuator.

In addition, the computing subsystem 25 may include an actuator andsensor working in concert. For example, the sensor is sensing thephysical condition of the actuator. In this example, a drive-sensecircuit provides a drive signal to the actuator and another drive sensesignal provides the same drive signal, or a scaled version of it, to thesensor. This allows the sensor to provide near immediate and continuoussensing of the actuator's physical condition. This further allows forthe sensor to operate at a first frequency and the actuator to operateat a second frequency.

In an embodiment, the computing subsystem is a stand-alone system for awide variety of applications (e.g., manufacturing, pipelines, testing,monitoring, security, etc.). In another embodiment, the computingsubsystem 25 is one subsystem of a plurality of subsystems forming alarger system. For example, different subsystems are employed based ongeographic location. As a specific example, the computing subsystem 25is deployed in one section of a factory and another computing subsystemis deployed in another part of the factory. As another example,different subsystems are employed based function of the subsystems. As aspecific example, one subsystem monitors a city's traffic lightoperation and another subsystem monitors the city's sewage treatmentplants.

Regardless of the use and/or deployment of the computing system, thephysical conditions it is sensing, and/or the physical conditions it isactuating, each sensor and each actuator (if included) is driven andsensed by a single line as opposed to separate drive and sense lines.This provides many advantages including, but not limited to, lower powerrequirements, better ability to drive high impedance sensors, lower lineto line interference, and/or concurrent sensing functions.

FIG. 5B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem 25 that includes a sensed data processing module 65,a communication module 61, a plurality of processing modules 42A-x, aplurality of drive sense circuits 28, and a plurality of sensors 1-x,which may be sensors 30 of FIG. 1 . The sensed data processing module 65is one or more processing modules within one or more servers 22 and/orone more processing modules in one or more computing devices that aredifferent than the computing device, devices, in which processingmodules 42A-x reside.

In an embodiment, the drive-sense circuits 28, the processing modules,and the communication module are within a common computing device. Forexample, the computing device includes a central processing unit thatincludes a plurality of processing modules. The functionality andoperation of the sensed data processing module 65, the communicationmodule 61, the processing modules 42A-x, the drive sense circuits 28,and the sensors 1-x are as discussed with reference to FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem 25 that includes a sensed data processing module 65,a communication module 61, a processing module 42, a plurality of drivesense circuits 28, and a plurality of sensors 1-x, which may be sensors30 of FIG. 1 . The sensed data processing module 65 is one or moreprocessing modules within one or more servers 22 and/or one moreprocessing modules in one or more computing devices that are differentthan the computing device in which the processing module 42 resides.

In an embodiment, the drive-sense circuits 28, the processing module,and the communication module are within a common computing device. Thefunctionality and operation of the sensed data processing module 65, thecommunication module 61, the processing module 42, the drive sensecircuits 28, and the sensors 1-x are as discussed with reference to FIG.5A.

FIG. 5D is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem 25 that includes a processing module 42, a referencesignal circuit 100, a plurality of drive sense circuits 28, and aplurality of sensors 30. The processing module 42 includes a drive-senseprocessing block 104, a drive-sense control block 102, and a referencecontrol block 106. Each block 102-106 of the processing module 42 may beimplemented via separate modules of the processing module, may be acombination of software and hardware within the processing module,and/or may be field programmable modules within the processing module42.

In an example of operation, the drive-sense control block 104 generatesone or more control signals to activate one or more of the drive-sensecircuits 28. For example, the drive-sense control block 102 generates acontrol signal that enables of the drive-sense circuits 28 for a givenperiod of time (e.g., 1 second, 1 minute, etc.). As another example, thedrive-sense control block 102 generates control signals to sequentiallyenable the drive-sense circuits 28. As yet another example, thedrive-sense control block 102 generates a series of control signals toperiodically enable the drive-sense circuits 28 (e.g., enabled onceevery second, every minute, every hour, etc.).

Continuing with the example of operation, the reference control block106 generates a reference control signal that it provides to thereference signal circuit 100. The reference signal circuit 100generates, in accordance with the control signal, one or more referencesignals for the drive-sense circuits 28. For example, the control signalis an enable signal, which, in response, the reference signal circuit100 generates a pre-programmed reference signal that it provides to thedrive-sense circuits 28. In another example, the reference signalcircuit 100 generates a unique reference signal for each of thedrive-sense circuits 28. In yet another example, the reference signalcircuit 100 generates a first unique reference signal for each of thedrive-sense circuits 28 in a first group and generates a second uniquereference signal for each of the drive-sense circuits 28 in a secondgroup.

The reference signal circuit 100 may be implemented in a variety ofways. For example, the reference signal circuit 100 includes a DC(direct current) voltage generator, an AC voltage generator, and avoltage combining circuit. The DC voltage generator generates a DCvoltage at a first level and the AC voltage generator generates an ACvoltage at a second level, which is less than or equal to the firstlevel. The voltage combining circuit combines the DC and AC voltages toproduce the reference signal. As examples, the reference signal circuit100 generates a reference signal similar to the signals shown in FIG. 7, which will be subsequently discussed.

As another example, the reference signal circuit 100 includes a DCcurrent generator, an AC current generator, and a current combiningcircuit. The DC current generator generates a DC current a first currentlevel and the AC current generator generates an AC current at a secondcurrent level, which is less than or equal to the first current level.The current combining circuit combines the DC and AC currents to producethe reference signal.

Returning to the example of operation, the reference signal circuit 100provides the reference signal, or signals, to the drive-sense circuits28. When a drive-sense circuit 28 is enabled via a control signal fromthe drive sense control block 102, it provides a drive signal to itscorresponding sensor 30. As a result of a physical condition, anelectrical characteristic of the sensor is changed, which affects thedrive signal. Based on the detected effect on the drive signal and thereference signal, the drive-sense circuit 28 generates a signalrepresentative of the effect on the drive signal.

The drive-sense circuit provides the signal representative of the effecton the drive signal to the drive-sense processing block 104. Thedrive-sense processing block 104 processes the representative signal toproduce a sensed value 97 of the physical condition (e.g., a digitalvalue that represents a specific temperature, a specific pressure level,etc.). The processing module 42 provides the sensed value 97 to anotherapplication running on the computing device, to another computingdevice, and/or to a server 22.

FIG. 5E is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of acomputing subsystem 25 that includes a processing module 42, a pluralityof drive sense circuits 28, and a plurality of sensors 30. Thisembodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5D with thefunctionality of the drive-sense processing block 104, a drive-sensecontrol block 102, and a reference control block 106 shown in greaterdetail. For instance, the drive-sense control block 102 includesindividual enable/disable blocks 102-1 through 102-y. An enable/disableblock functions to enable or disable a corresponding drive-sense circuitin a manner as discussed above with reference to FIG. 5D.

The drive-sense processing block 104 includes variance determiningmodules 104-1 a through y and variance interpreting modules 104-2 athrough y. For example, variance determining module 104-1 a receives,from the corresponding drive-sense circuit 28, a signal representativeof a physical condition sensed by a sensor. The variance determiningmodule 104-1 a functions to determine a difference from the signalrepresenting the sensed physical condition with a signal representing aknown, or reference, physical condition. The variance interpretingmodule 104-1 b interprets the difference to determine a specific valuefor the sensed physical condition.

As a specific example, the variance determining module 104-1 a receivesa digital signal of 1001 0110 (150 in decimal) that is representative ofa sensed physical condition (e.g., temperature) sensed by a sensor fromthe corresponding drive-sense circuit 28. With 8-bits, there are 2⁸(256) possible signals representing the sensed physical condition.Assume that the units for temperature is Celsius and a digital value of0100 0000 (64 in decimal) represents the known value for 25 degreeCelsius. The variance determining module 104-b 1 determines thedifference between the digital signal representing the sensed value(e.g., 1001 0110, 150 in decimal) and the known signal value of (e.g.,0100 0000, 64 in decimal), which is 0011 0000 (86 in decimal). Thevariance determining module 104-b 1 then determines the sensed valuebased on the difference and the known value. In this example, the sensedvalue equals 25+86*(100/256)=25+33.6=58.6 degrees Celsius.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a drive center circuit 28-acoupled to a sensor 30. The drive sense-sense circuit 28 includes apower source circuit 110 and a power signal change detection circuit112. The sensor 30 includes one or more transducers that have varyingelectrical characteristics (e.g., capacitance, inductance, impedance,current, voltage, etc.) based on varying physical conditions 114 (e.g.,pressure, temperature, biological, chemical, etc.), or vice versa (e.g.,an actuator).

The power source circuit 110 is operably coupled to the sensor 30 and,when enabled (e.g., from a control signal from the processing module 42,power is applied, a switch is closed, a reference signal is received,etc.) provides a power signal 116 to the sensor 30. The power sourcecircuit 110 may be a voltage supply circuit (e.g., a battery, a linearregulator, an unregulated DC-to-DC converter, etc.) to produce avoltage-based power signal, a current supply circuit (e.g., a currentsource circuit, a current mirror circuit, etc.) to produce acurrent-based power signal, or a circuit that provide a desired powerlevel to the sensor and substantially matches impedance of the sensor.The power source circuit 110 generates the power signal 116 to include aDC (direct current) component and/or an oscillating component.

When receiving the power signal 116 and when exposed to a condition 114,an electrical characteristic of the sensor affects 118 the power signal.When the power signal change detection circuit 112 is enabled, itdetects the affect 118 on the power signal as a result of the electricalcharacteristic of the sensor. For example, the power signal is a 1.5voltage signal and, under a first condition, the sensor draws 1 milliampof current, which corresponds to an impedance of 1.5 K Ohms. Under asecond conditions, the power signal remains at 1.5 volts and the currentincreases to 1.5 milliamps. As such, from condition 1 to condition 2,the impedance of the sensor changed from 1.5 K Ohms to 1 K Ohms. Thepower signal change detection circuit 112 determines this change andgenerates a representative signal 120 of the change to the power signal.

As another example, the power signal is a 1.5 voltage signal and, undera first condition, the sensor draws 1 milliamp of current, whichcorresponds to an impedance of 1.5 K Ohms. Under a second conditions,the power signal drops to 1.3 volts and the current increases to 1.3milliamps. As such, from condition 1 to condition 2, the impedance ofthe sensor changed from 1.5 K Ohms to 1 K Ohms. The power signal changedetection circuit 112 determines this change and generates arepresentative signal 120 of the change to the power signal.

The power signal 116 includes a DC component 122 and/or an oscillatingcomponent 124 as shown in FIG. 7 . The oscillating component 124includes a sinusoidal signal, a square wave signal, a triangular wavesignal, a multiple level signal (e.g., has varying magnitude over timewith respect to the DC component), and/or a polygonal signal (e.g., hasa symmetrical or asymmetrical polygonal shape with respect to the DCcomponent). Note that the power signal is shown without affect from thesensor as the result of a condition or changing condition.

In an embodiment, power generating circuit 110 varies frequency of theoscillating component 124 of the power signal 116 so that it can betuned to the impedance of the sensor and/or to be off-set in frequencyfrom other power signals in a system. For example, a capacitancesensor's impedance decreases with frequency. As such, if the frequencyof the oscillating component is too high with respect to thecapacitance, the capacitor looks like a short and variances incapacitances will be missed. Similarly, if the frequency of theoscillating component is too low with respect to the capacitance, thecapacitor looks like an open and variances in capacitances will bemissed.

In an embodiment, the power generating circuit 110 varies magnitude ofthe DC component 122 and/or the oscillating component 124 to improveresolution of sensing and/or to adjust power consumption of sensing. Inaddition, the power generating circuit 110 generates the drive signal110 such that the magnitude of the oscillating component 124 is lessthan magnitude of the DC component 122.

FIG. 6A is a schematic block diagram of a drive center circuit 28-a 1coupled to a sensor 30. The drive sense-sense circuit 28-a 1 includes asignal source circuit 111, a signal change detection circuit 113, and apower source 115. The power source 115 (e.g., a battery, a power supply,a current source, etc.) generates a voltage and/or current that iscombined with a signal 117, which is produced by the signal sourcecircuit 111. The combined signal is supplied to the sensor 30.

The signal source circuit 111 may be a voltage supply circuit (e.g., abattery, a linear regulator, an unregulated DC-to-DC converter, etc.) toproduce a voltage-based signal 117, a current supply circuit (e.g., acurrent source circuit, a current mirror circuit, etc.) to produce acurrent-based signal 117, or a circuit that provide a desired powerlevel to the sensor and substantially matches impedance of the sensor.The signal source circuit 111 generates the signal 117 to include a DC(direct current) component and/or an oscillating component.

When receiving the combined signal (e.g., signal 117 and power from thepower source) and when exposed to a condition 114, an electricalcharacteristic of the sensor affects 119 the signal. When the signalchange detection circuit 113 is enabled, it detects the affect 119 onthe signal as a result of the electrical characteristic of the sensor.

FIG. 8 is an example of a sensor graph that plots an electricalcharacteristic versus a condition. The sensor has a substantially linearregion in which an incremental change in a condition produces acorresponding incremental change in the electrical characteristic. Thegraph shows two types of electrical characteristics: one that increasesas the condition increases and the other that decreases and thecondition increases. As an example of the first type, impedance of atemperature sensor increases and the temperature increases. As anexample of a second type, a capacitance touch sensor decreases incapacitance as a touch is sensed.

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of another example of a power signalgraph in which the electrical characteristic or change in electricalcharacteristic of the sensor is affecting the power signal. In thisexample, the effect of the electrical characteristic or change inelectrical characteristic of the sensor reduced the DC component but hadlittle to no effect on the oscillating component. For example, theelectrical characteristic is resistance. In this example, the resistanceor change in resistance of the sensor decreased the power signal,inferring an increase in resistance for a relatively constant current.

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of another example of a powersignal graph in which the electrical characteristic or change inelectrical characteristic of the sensor is affecting the power signal.In this example, the effect of the electrical characteristic or changein electrical characteristic of the sensor reduced magnitude of theoscillating component but had little to no effect on the DC component.For example, the electrical characteristic is impedance of a capacitorand/or an inductor. In this example, the impedance or change inimpedance of the sensor decreased the magnitude of the oscillatingsignal component, inferring an increase in impedance for a relativelyconstant current.

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of another example of a powersignal graph in which the electrical characteristic or change inelectrical characteristic of the sensor is affecting the power signal.In this example, the effect of the electrical characteristic or changein electrical characteristic of the sensor shifted frequency of theoscillating component but had little to no effect on the DC component.For example, the electrical characteristic is reactance of a capacitorand/or an inductor. In this example, the reactance or change inreactance of the sensor shifted frequency of the oscillating signalcomponent, inferring an increase in reactance (e.g., sensor isfunctioning as an integrator or phase shift circuit).

FIG. 11A is a schematic block diagram of another example of a powersignal graph in which the electrical characteristic or change inelectrical characteristic of the sensor is affecting the power signal.In this example, the effect of the electrical characteristic or changein electrical characteristic of the sensor changes the frequency of theoscillating component but had little to no effect on the DC component.For example, the sensor includes two transducers that oscillate atdifferent frequencies. The first transducer receives the power signal ata frequency of f₁ and converts it into a first physical condition. Thesecond transducer is stimulated by the first physical condition tocreate an electrical signal at a different frequency f₂. In thisexample, the first and second transducers of the sensor change thefrequency of the oscillating signal component, which allows for moregranular sensing and/or a broader range of sensing.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a power signalchange detection circuit 112 receiving the affected power signal 118 andthe power signal 116 as generated to produce, therefrom, the signalrepresentative 120 of the power signal change. The affect 118 on thepower signal is the result of an electrical characteristic and/or changein the electrical characteristic of a sensor; a few examples of theaffects are shown in FIGS. 8-11A.

In an embodiment, the power signal change detection circuit 112 detect achange in the DC component 122 and/or the oscillating component 124 ofthe power signal 116. The power signal change detection circuit 112 thengenerates the signal representative 120 of the change to the powersignal based on the change to the power signal. For example, the changeto the power signal results from the impedance of the sensor and/or achange in impedance of the sensor. The representative signal 120 isreflective of the change in the power signal and/or in the change in thesensor's impedance.

In an embodiment, the power signal change detection circuit 112 isoperable to detect a change to the oscillating component at a frequency,which may be a phase shift, frequency change, and/or change in magnitudeof the oscillating component. The power signal change detection circuit112 is also operable to generate the signal representative of the changeto the power signal based on the change to the oscillating component atthe frequency. The power signal change detection circuit 112 is furtheroperable to provide feedback to the power source circuit 110 regardingthe oscillating component. The feedback allows the power source circuit110 to regulate the oscillating component at the desired frequency,phase, and/or magnitude.

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a drivesense circuit 28-b includes a change detection circuit 150, a regulationcircuit 152, and a power source circuit 154. The drive-sense circuit28-b is coupled to the sensor 30, which includes a transducer that hasvarying electrical characteristics (e.g., capacitance, inductance,impedance, current, voltage, etc.) based on varying physical conditions114 (e.g., pressure, temperature, biological, chemical, etc.).

The power source circuit 154 is operably coupled to the sensor 30 and,when enabled (e.g., from a control signal from the processing module 42,power is applied, a switch is closed, a reference signal is received,etc.) provides a power signal 158 to the sensor 30. The power sourcecircuit 154 may be a voltage supply circuit (e.g., a battery, a linearregulator, an unregulated DC-to-DC converter, etc.) to produce avoltage-based power signal or a current supply circuit (e.g., a currentsource circuit, a current mirror circuit, etc.) to produce acurrent-based power signal. The power source circuit 154 generates thepower signal 158 to include a DC (direct current) component and anoscillating component.

When receiving the power signal 158 and when exposed to a condition 114,an electrical characteristic of the sensor affects 160 the power signal.When the change detection circuit 150 is enabled, it detects the affect160 on the power signal as a result of the electrical characteristic ofthe sensor 30. The change detection circuit 150 is further operable togenerate a signal 120 that is representative of change to the powersignal based on the detected effect on the power signal.

The regulation circuit 152, when its enabled, generates regulationsignal 156 to regulate the DC component to a desired DC level and/orregulate the oscillating component to a desired oscillating level (e.g.,magnitude, phase, and/or frequency) based on the signal 120 that isrepresentative of the change to the power signal. The power sourcecircuit 154 utilizes the regulation signal 156 to keep the power signalat a desired setting 158 regardless of the electrical characteristic ofthe sensor. In this manner, the amount of regulation is indicative ofthe affect the electrical characteristic had on the power signal.

In an example, the power source circuit 158 is a DC-DC converteroperable to provide a regulated power signal having DC and ACcomponents. The change detection circuit 150 is a comparator and theregulation circuit 152 is a pulse width modulator to produce theregulation signal 156. The comparator compares the power signal 158,which is affected by the sensor, with a reference signal that includesDC and AC components. When the electrical characteristics is at a firstlevel (e.g., a first impedance), the power signal is regulated toprovide a voltage and current such that the power signal substantiallyresembles the reference signal.

When the electrical characteristics changes to a second level (e.g., asecond impedance), the change detection circuit 150 detects a change inthe DC and/or AC component of the power signal 158 and generates therepresentative signal 120, which indicates the changes. The regulationcircuit 152 detects the change in the representative signal 120 andcreates the regulation signal to substantially remove the effect on thepower signal. The regulation of the power signal 158 may be done byregulating the magnitude of the DC and/or AC components, by adjustingthe frequency of AC component, and/or by adjusting the phase of the ACcomponent.

With respect to the operation of various drive-sense circuits asdescribed herein and/or their equivalents, note that the operation ofsuch a drive-sense circuit is operable simultaneously to drive and sensea signal via a single line. In comparison to switched, time-divided,time-multiplexed, etc. operation in which there is switching betweendriving and sensing (e.g., driving at first time, sensing at secondtime, etc.) of different respective signals at separate and distincttimes, the drive-sense circuit is operable simultaneously to performboth driving and sensing of a signal. In some examples, suchsimultaneous driving and sensing is performed via a single line using adrive-sense circuit.

In addition, other alternative implementations of various drive-sensecircuits are described in U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No.16/113,379, entitled “DRIVE SENSE CIRCUIT WITH DRIVE-SENSE LINE,”, filedAug. 27, 2018, pending. Any instantiation of a drive-sense circuit asdescribed herein may also be implemented using any of the variousimplementations of various drive-sense circuits described in U.S.Utility patent application Ser. No. 16/113,379.

In addition, note that the one or more signals provided from adrive-sense circuit (DSC) may be of any of a variety of types. Forexample, such a signal may be based on encoding of one or more bits togenerate one or more coded bits used to generate modulation data (orgenerally, data). For example, a device is configured to perform forwarderror correction (FEC) and/or error checking and correction (ECC) codeof one or more bits to generate one or more coded bits. Examples of FECand/or ECC may include turbo code, convolutional code, turbo trelliscoded modulation (TTCM), low density parity check (LDPC) code,Reed-Solomon (RS) code, BCH (Bose and Ray-Chaudhuri, and Hocquenghem)code, binary convolutional code (BCC), Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC),and/or any other type of ECC and/or FEC code and/or combination thereof,etc. Note that more than one type of ECC and/or FEC code may be used inany of various implementations including concatenation (e.g., first ECCand/or FEC code followed by second ECC and/or FEC code, etc. such asbased on an inner code/outer code architecture, etc.), parallelarchitecture (e.g., such that first ECC and/or FEC code operates onfirst bits while second ECC and/or FEC code operates on second bits,etc.), and/or any combination thereof.

Also, the one or more coded bits may then undergo modulation or symbolmapping to generate modulation symbols (e.g., the modulation symbols mayinclude data intended for one or more recipient devices, components,elements, etc.). Note that such modulation symbols may be generatedusing any of various types of modulation coding techniques. Examples ofsuch modulation coding techniques may include binary phase shift keying(BPSK), quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), 8-phase shift keying(PSK), 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), 32 amplitude and phaseshift keying (APSK), etc., uncoded modulation, and/or any other desiredtypes of modulation including higher ordered modulations that mayinclude even greater number of constellation points (e.g., 1024 QAM,etc.).

In addition, note that a signal provided from a DSC may be of a uniquefrequency that is different from signals provided from other DSCs. Also,a signal provided from a DSC may include multiple frequenciesindependently or simultaneously. The frequency of the signal can behopped on a pre-arranged pattern. In some examples, a handshake isestablished between one or more DSCs and one or more processing module(e.g., one or more controllers) such that the one or more DSC is/aredirected by the one or more processing modules regarding which frequencyor frequencies and/or which other one or more characteristics of the oneor more signals to use at one or more respective times and/or in one ormore particular situations.

With respect to any signal that is driven and simultaneously detected bya DSC, note that any additional signal that is coupled into a line, anelectrode, a touch sensor, a bus, a communication link, a battery, aload, an electrical coupling or connection, etc. associated with thatDSC is also detectable. For example, a DSC that is associated with sucha line, an electrode, a touch sensor, a bus, a communication link, abattery, a load, an electrical coupling or connection, etc. isconfigured to detect any signal from one or more other lines,electrodes, touch sensors, buses, communication links, loads, electricalcouplings or connections, etc. that get coupled into that line,electrode, touch sensor, bus, communication link, battery, load,electrical coupling or connection, etc.

Note that the different respective signals that are driven andsimultaneously sensed by one or more DSCs may be differentiated from oneanother. Appropriate filtering and processing can identify the varioussignals given their differentiation, orthogonality to one another,difference in frequency, etc. Other examples described herein and theirequivalents operate using any of a number of different characteristicsother than or in addition to frequency.

Moreover, with respect to any embodiment, diagram, example, etc. thatincludes more than one DSC, note that the DSCs may be implemented in avariety of manners. For example, all of the DSCs may be of the sametype, implementation, configuration, etc. In another example, the firstDSC may be of a first type, implementation, configuration, etc., and asecond DSC may be of a second type, implementation, configuration, etc.that is different than the first DSC. Considering a specific example, afirst DSC may be implemented to detect change of impedance associatedwith a line, an electrode, a touch sensor, a bus, a communication link,a battery, a load, an electrical coupling or connection, etc. associatedwith that first DSC, while a second DSC may be implemented to detectchange of voltage associated with a line, an electrode, a touch sensor,a bus, a communication link, a battery, a load, an electrical couplingor connection, etc. associated with that second DSC. In addition, notethat a third DSC may be implemented to detect change of a currentassociated with a line, an electrode, a touch sensor, a bus, acommunication link, a battery, a load, an electrical coupling orconnection, etc. associated with that DSC. In general, while a commonreference may be used generally to show a DSC or multiple instantiationsof a DSC within a given embodiment, diagram, example, etc., note thatany particular DSC may be implemented in accordance with any manner asdescribed herein, such as described in U.S. Utility patent applicationSer. No. 16/113,379, etc. and/or their equivalents.

Note that certain of the following diagrams show one or more processingmodules. In certain instances, the one or more processing modules isconfigured to communicate with and interact with one or more otherdevices including one or more of DSCs, one or more components associatedwith a DSC, input electric power, one or more components associated withbattery, a load being serviced by a battery, a battery charge circuit,etc. Note that any such implementation of one or more processing modulesmay include integrated memory and/or be coupled to other memory. Atleast some of the memory stores operational instructions to be executedby the one or more processing modules. In addition, note that the one ormore processing modules may interface with one or more other devices,components, elements, etc. via one or more communication links,networks, communication pathways, channels, etc.

In addition, when a DSC is implemented to communicate with and interactwith another element, the DSC is configured simultaneously to transmitand receive one or more signals with the element. For example, a DSC isconfigured simultaneously to sense and to drive one or more signals tothe one element. During transmission of a signal from a DSC, that sameDSC is configured simultaneously to sense the signal being transmittedfrom the DSC and any other signal may be coupled into the signal that isbeing transmitted from the DSC.

Many embodiments, examples, etc. described herein deal with theinteraction between one or more drive-sense circuits (DSCs) and abattery. A particular battery may be implemented in a variety ofdifferent contexts and applications. Generally speaking, a battery maybe viewed as being an energy source that is operative to provideelectric energy via the flow of electrons through an electric circuit. Abattery is often described as including three basic components, namely,an anode (the negative terminal/electrode), a cathode (the positiveterminal/electrode), and an electrolyte. In certain batteryimplementations, the fourth component, a separator/insulator, may beimplemented within the electrolyte to prevent the cathode from coming incontact with the anode, which carries the negative charge.

Chemical reactions in the battery and particularly within theelectrolyte cause a buildup of electrons at the anode (the negativeterminal/electrode), which, as a result, generates an electricaldifference between the anode and cathode. During discharge when thebattery is servicing one or more loads and an electric circuit is closedbetween the anode and the cathode, the electrons are able to passthrough the electric circuit from the anode to the cathode therebypowering the electric circuit. The electrolyte of the battery preventsthe electrons from going straight from the anode to the cathode withinthe battery and instead operate to service the electric circuit. Thechemicals inside of the battery, the electrolyte, may be viewed as theelement that prevents the electrons from traveling between therespective terminals/electrodes of the battery. When an electric circuitis connected to the battery, there is an alternative pathway for theelectrons to flow, and the electrons flow from the anode (the negativeterminal/electrode) to the cathode (the positive terminal/electrode).Also, in the electrical engineering arts, note that current is typicallydefined as flowing from a positive terminal of the battery to thenegative terminal of the battery. As the battery continues to servicethe one or more loads, electrochemical processes within the batterychange the anode and the cathode and reduce their ability to continuesupplying electrons to service the electric circuit.

Note that certain examples herein include providing a charge signal or amonitoring signal to a positive terminal of a battery. Note also that acharge signal or a monitoring signal may alternatively be provided to anegative terminal of a battery in certain examples (e.g., such asproviding an alternative means by which battery charging and/orcharacterization may be performed). In an example, a monitoring signal(e.g., as including an AC only component) is selected to have amagnitude as not to interfere adversely with the operation of thebattery even when provided to the positive or negative terminal of abattery.

During charging of the battery or recharge of the battery, an externalsource of electric power is used to change the direction of the flow ofelectrons in the battery again. When this happens, the electro-chemicalprocesses within the battery that operate to service the one or moreloads are reversed, and the anode and cathode are restored back to, orclose to, their original state and are thereby able to service one ormore loads and provide power thereto.

Note that the anode (the negative terminal/electrode) and the cathode(the positive terminal/electrode) within a battery are made from twodifferent materials that both have electrically conductive capabilities.One of the materials provides electrons and the other received themthereby facilitating the flow of current and enabling the battery toservice one or more loads providing power thereto. As the two differenttypes of metal electrodes, the anode (the negative terminal/electrode)and the cathode (the positive terminal/electrode), are immersed in theelectrolyte of the battery, the chemicals of the electrolyte react withthe metal electrodes causing excess electrons to build up on the anode(the negative terminal/electrode) and producing a shortage of electronson the cathode (the positive terminal/electrode). This difference innumber of electrons on the anode (the negative terminal/electrode) andthe cathode (the positive terminal/electrode) creates a voltage,sometimes referred to as an electromotive force, which may be harnessedto provide electric power to one or more loads.

From certain perspectives, the electrolyte of the battery may be viewedas a chemical medium that facilitates the flow of electrical chargebetween the cathode and the anode. When servicing a load, the chemicalreactions on the electrodes of the battery generate an electric currentand the flow of electric energy that may be used to service one or moreloads. Specifically, the chemical reactions on the anode releaseelectrons to the negative terminal, and via an oxidation reaction, ionsinto the electrolyte while the positive terminal accepts the electronsthereby closing the electric circuit to facilitate the delivery ofelectric energy to the one or more loads.

In addition, an actual battery is a non-ideal component having internalimpedance (e.g., resistance and/or reactance), will have a finitelifetime, will have burying and changing characteristics over alifetime, will have susceptibility to environmental conditions includingtemperature, etc. Among other things, this disclosure provides variousmeans by which monitoring and/or characterization of a battery may beperformed using one or more DSCs. In addition, not only may suchmonitoring and/or characterization of the battery be performed includingdetermining the current electrical characteristics thereof, but variousmeans of monitoring the operation and health of the battery arepresented including using one or more DSCs in conjunction with one ormore other components such as electrodes that are appropriatelyimplemented to monitor for and detect undesirable buildup of gaseswithin a battery. Based upon such monitoring and/or characterization ofthe battery during charging, during load servicing, during a standbyoperational mode, when idle, etc. allow for improved utilization of thebattery and extension of the life thereof. For example, based ondetection of any one or more adverse conditions (e.g., buildup of gas,changing impedance, etc.) one or more corrective actions may be takenincluding to provide an error signal to a user, adapting operation ofone or more circuits with which the battery is coupled or connected to,initiating a battery replacement operation, etc.

In addition, the monitoring and/or characterization of the batteryallows for improved interaction with the battery in accordance withcharging of the battery including, in some examples, to facilitatemaximum power transfer during a charging process. By maximizing powertransfer during the charging process, the effective charge time of thebattery may be reduced. Providing for means of reduction in the time tocharge a battery thereby reducing down time, increasing the time ofservicing a load, increasing user experience, and many otherimprovements and benefits as well.

FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 1400 of adrive-sense circuit (DSC) configured simultaneously to drive and sense acharge signal to a battery 14440 that may optionally be implemented toservice one or more loads 1490 in accordance with the present invention.In this diagram and others herein, note that the battery 1440 may be ofa variety of types including rechargeable, lead acid (e.g., such as maybe used in automotive applications, energy storage in solarcell/photovoltaic applications, etc.), Lithium-ion (alternative referredto as Li-ion) of any of a variety of types including Lithium CobaltOxide (LiCoO2) (e.g., such as used commonly for personal devices such asmobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, etc.), Lithium Manganese Oxide(LiMn2O4), Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2 or NMC),Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4), Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide(LiNiCoAlO2), Lithium Titanate (Li4Ti5O12), etc., among other types ofLithium-ion (Li-ion) battery types, Nickel-Cadmium, Nickel-metalhydride, etc., among other types of batteries.

In this diagram as well as others here and, one or more processingmodules 42 is configured to communicate with and interact with adrive-sense circuit (DSC) 28. Such communication and interaction may beimplemented in via any desired number of communication pathways betweenthe one or more processing modules 42 and the DSC 28 (e.g., generally ncommunication pathways, where n is a positive integer greater than orequal to one). The one or more processing modules 42 is coupled to a DSC28. Note that the one or more processing modules 42 may includeintegrated memory and/or be coupled to other memory. At least some ofthe memory stores operational instructions to be executed by the one ormore processing modules 42. In addition, note that the one or moreprocessing modules 42 may interface with one or more other devices,components, elements, etc. via one or more communication links,networks, communication pathways, channels, etc.

The DSC 28 is configured to provide a charge signal to the battery 1440.In some instances, the DSC 28 is configured to provide a charge signalthat includes only a DC component to the battery 1440. In otherinstances, the DSC 28 is configured to provide a charge signal thatincludes both a DC and AC component. The DSC 28 is configured to use theAC component to perform characterization of the battery 1440. Moreover,in other instances, the DSC 20 just configured to provide a monitoringsignal to the battery 1440 that includes no DC component but doesinclude an AC component. In this implementation, the DSC 28 isconfigured to use the AC component to perform characterization of thebattery 1440 even when no charging of the battery 1440 is beingperformed.

In this diagram, the DSC 28 operates to provide a charge signal or amonitoring signal to the battery 1440 and also simultaneously to detectany effect on the charge signal or the monitoring signal. Note thatpower may be provided to the DSC 28 in a variety of ways. For example,the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to provide powerinput to the DSC 28. In other examples described later herein, aseparate battery charger supply circuit is configured to provide powerto the DSC 28.

In addition, the one or more processing modules 42 is configured toprovide a reference signal to the DSC 28, facilitate communication withthe DSC 28, perform interfacing and control of the operation of one ormore components of the DSC 28, received digital information from the DSC28 that may be used for a variety of purposes and putting performingcharacterization of the battery 1440.

Generally speaking, note that the reference signal is provided from theone or more processing modules 42 to the DSC in this diagram as well asany other diagram herein may have any desired form. For example, thereference signal may be selected to have any desired magnitude,frequency, phase, etc. among other various signal characteristics. Inaddition, the reference signal may have any desired waveform. Forexample, many examples described herein are directed towards a referencesignal having a DC component and/or an AC component. Note that the ACcomponent may have any desired waveform shape including sinusoid,sawtooth wave, triangular wave, square wave, etc. among the variousdesired waveform shapes. In addition, note that DC component may bepositive or negative. Moreover, note that some examples operate havingno DC component (e.g., a DC component having a value of zero/0). Inaddition, note that more the AC component may include more than onecomponent corresponding to more than one frequency. For example, the ACcomponent may include a first AC component having a first frequency anda second AC component having a second frequency. Generally speaking, theAC component may include any number of AC components having any numberof respective frequencies.

Note also that the DSC 28, in cooperation with the one or moreprocessing modules 42, is configured to adapt one or morecharacteristics of the charge signal or the monitoring signal that isprovided from the DSC 28 to the battery 1440. For example, in someinstances, one or more characteristics of the DC component and/or the ACcomponent of the charge signal is modified and/or adapted duringinteraction between the DSC 28 in the battery 1440. For example, the DClevel of a charge signal may be modified during different time periodsand phases of a charge cycle on the battery 1440.

In addition, when performing characterization of the battery 1440 duringa charge cycle on the battery 1440, the frequency of the AC component ofthe charge signal may be modified and/or adapted to facilitatecharacterization of the battery 1440 across a range of frequencies. Inaddition, when performing characterization of the battery 1440 during acharge cycle on the battery 1440, the magnitude of the AC component ofthe charge signal may be modified and/or adapted to facilitatecharacterization of the battery 1440 across various input signals havingdifferent levels. Similarly, when performing characterization of thebattery 1440 during non-charging, such as during a monitoring processsuch as when the battery 1440 is a standby mode, a mode involvingservicing of one or more loads 1490, a discharge mode, a mode includingnormal battery operations, etc. or any other operational mode duringwhich the battery 1440 is not being charged, variation of suchcharacteristics of the AC component of the monitoring signal may beperformed including modifying and/or adapting the frequency and/ormagnitude of the AC component of the monitoring signal. In addition, theshape and waveform of the AC component of the charge signal or themonitoring signal may similarly be adapted and modified as a function oftime and/or in response to any one or more considerations.

Also, in some examples, note that when the DSC 28 is configured toprovide a charge signal to the battery 1440, the charge signal is acurrent signal such as provided from a current source. In otherexamples, note that when the DSC 28 is configured to provide a chargesignal to the battery 1440, the charge signal is a voltage signal suchas provided from a voltage source. Generally speaking, a current sourceor a voltage source may be implemented to facilitate charging of thebattery 1440 by providing a charge signal to the battery 1440. Inaccordance with charging of the battery 1440, a signal having a nonzeroDC offset (e.g., such as a nonzero DC offset voltage with respect to thevoltage of the battery, Vbattery) is provided to the battery 1440 tofacilitate changing of the voltage of the battery by moving charge ofthe battery.

Similarly, note that when the DSC 28 is configured to provide amonitoring signal to the battery 1440, the monitoring signal may beeither a current signal such as provided from a current source or avoltage signal such as provided from a voltage source. For example, whenmonitoring and no charging is being performed on the battery 1440 by theDSC 28, the monitoring signal may be a current signal such as providedfrom a current source or a voltage signal such as provided from avoltage source. Generally speaking, a current source or a voltage sourcemay be implemented to facilitate providing a monitoring signal to thebattery 1440 to facilitate battery monitoring and characterization.

With respect to the differentiation between providing a charge signal tothe battery 1440 or a monitoring signal to the battery 1440, whetherprovided as a current signal from a current source or as a voltagesignal from voltage source, depends on the DC offset of the signal isbeing provided to the battery 1440. In accordance with charging of thebattery 1440, the charge signal has a nonzero DC offset (e.g., such as anonzero DC offset voltage with respect to the voltage of the battery,Vbattery). Alternatively, in accordance with monitoring of the battery1440 without performing charging, a monitoring signal is provided to thebattery 1440 that has no DC offset (e.g., such as a zero DC offsetvoltage with respect to the voltage of the battery, Vbattery).

In an example of operation and implementation, a batterycharacterization system includes a drive-sense circuit (DSC) and one ormore processing modules operably coupled to the DSC. The one or moreprocessing modules is connected or coupled to memory, and/or includesmemory, that stores operational instructions.

The DSC is configured to receive a reference signal and to generate acharge signal that includes an AC (alternating current) component basedon the reference signal. When enabled, the DSC operably coupled andconfigured to provide the charge signal to a terminal of a battery via asingle line and simultaneously to sense the charge signal via the singleline. In certain samples, note that the DSC is coupled or connected to aterminal of the battery via the single line. However, note that the DSCmay alternatively be coupled or connected to a negative terminal of thebattery via a single line.

Note that the DSC may be coupled or connected to either terminalconnection of the battery to facilitate charging of the battery. Notealso that the charge signal provided to the terminal of the battery maybe positive or negative. That is to say, the charge signal may beimplemented by providing a positive signal or a negative signal to adesired terminal of the battery. In some examples, with respect tofacilitating charging, a positive signal is provided to a terminal ofthe battery, and with respect to facilitating discharging, a negativesignal is provided to the terminal the battery. However, alternatively,with respect to facilitating charging, a negative signal may be providedto a negative terminal of the battery, and with respect to facilitatingdischarging, a positive signal may be provided to the negative terminalof the battery. Note that charging of the battery can be performed byconnecting to either the positive or negative terminal of the battery toprovide a charge signal to that respective terminal. In addition, notethat battery monitoring and characterization may be performed bycoupling or connecting a DSC to a ground terminal of the battery aswell.

Note that the sensing of the charge signal includes detection of anelectrical characteristic of the battery that is based on a response ofthe battery to the charge signal. the DSC is also operably coupled andconfigured to generate a digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the charge signal.

When enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured toexecute the operational instructions to generate the reference signal toinclude a frequency sweep of the AC component of the charge signal suchthat the AC component of the charge signal includes different respectivefrequencies at or during different respective times including a firstfrequency at or during a first time and a second frequency differentthan the first frequency at or during a second time as varying across apredetermined frequency range. Also, at or during the differentrespective times, the one or more processing modules is configured toexecute the operational instructions to process the digital signalrepresentative of the electrical characteristic of the battery that isbased on the response of the battery to the AC component of the chargesignal that varies across the different respective frequencies of thepredetermined frequency range to determine respective values of theelectrical characteristic of the battery across the different respectivefrequencies and to generate spectrum analysis (SA) information of thebattery that is based on a signal response of the battery to thefrequency sweep of the AC component of the charge signal.

In some examples, the electrical characteristic of the battery acrossthe different respective frequencies includes a first value of theelectrical characteristic of the battery based on the first frequencyand a second value of the electrical characteristic of the battery basedon the second frequency.

Also, note that the electrical characteristic may be of any of a varietyof types include any one or more of a resistance of the battery, animpedance of the battery, one or more components of an equivalentcircuit model of the battery, a signal response of the battery to thecharge signal, a signal response of the battery to the AC component ofthe charge signal, and/or spectrum analysis (SA) information of thebattery that is based on a signal response of the battery to a frequencysweep of the AC component of the charge signal.

Also, in other examples, the battery characterization system alsoincludes a battery charge supply circuit configured to provide a powersignal that includes a DC component to the DSC. The DSC is implementedin-line between the battery charge supply circuit and the single linecoupling to the terminal of the battery and further configured to addthe AC component to the DC component in accordance with generating thecharge signal that includes the AC component based on the referencesignal.

The DSC may be implemented in a variety of ways. In one example, the DSCincludes a comparator configured to receive the reference signal fromthe one or more processing modules at a first comparator input and todrive the charge signal from a second comparator input to the terminalof the battery via the single line and to generate an output comparatorsignal based on the reference signal and the charge signal. The DSC alsoincludes a dependent current source operably coupled to source a currentto the terminal of the battery via the single line based on control fromthe output comparator signal. The DSC also includes an analog to digitalconverter (ADC) operably coupled to the comparator output. When enabled,the ADC operably coupled and configured to process the output comparatorsignal to generate the digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the charge signal.

In other specific examples the DSC also includes a power source circuitoperably coupled to the terminal of the battery via the single line,wherein, when enabled, the power source circuit is configured to providethe charge signal that includes the AC component via the single linecoupling to the terminal of the battery, and the charge signal includesa DC (direct current) component and the AC component. The DSC alsoincludes a power source change detection circuit operably coupled to thepower source circuit. When enabled, the power source change detectioncircuit is configured to detect an effect on the charge signal that isbased on the electrical characteristic of the battery and to generatethe digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic ofthe battery that is based on the response of the battery to the chargesignal.

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 1500 of a DSC thatis interactive with a battery in accordance with the present invention.Similar to other diagrams, examples, embodiments, etc. herein, the DSC28-a 2 of this diagram is in communication with one or more processingmodules 42. The DSC 28-a 2 is configured to provide a signal (e.g., acharge signal or a monitoring signal) to the battery 1440 (e.g., to aterminal of the battery 1440) via a single line and simultaneously tosense that signal via the single line. In some examples, sensing thesignal includes detection of an electrical of the battery that is basedon a response of the battery to that signal. In addition, note that thebattery 1440 may be implemented to service and provide energy to one ormore loads 1490. In some examples, the DSC 28-a 2 is configured toprovide the signal (e.g., monitoring signal) to the battery 1440 duringnon-charging related operation of the battery 1440. In other examples,the DSC 28-a 2 is configured to provide the signal (e.g., charge signal)to the battery 1440 during charging related operation of the battery1440 which may also correspond to the operation of the battery 1440 inservicing the one or more loads 1490.

This embodiment of a DSC 28-a 2 includes a current source 110-1 and apower signal change detection circuit 112-a 1. The power signal changedetection circuit 112-a 1 includes a power source reference circuit 130and a comparator 132. The current source 110-1 may be an independentcurrent source, a dependent current source, a current mirror circuit,etc.

In an example of operation, the power source reference circuit 130provides a current reference 134 with DC and oscillating components tothe current source 110-1. The current source generates a current as thepower signal 116 based on the current reference 134. An electricalcharacteristic of the battery 1440 has an effect on the current powersignal 116. For example, if the impedance of the battery 1440 decreasesand the current power signal 116 remains substantially unchanged, thevoltage across the battery 1440 is decreased.

The comparator 132 compares the current reference 134 with the affectedpower signal 118 to produce the signal 120 that is representative of thechange to the power signal. For example, the current reference signal134 corresponds to a given current (I) times a given impedance (Z). Thecurrent reference generates the power signal to produce the givencurrent (I). If the impedance of the battery 1440 substantially matchesthe given impedance (Z), then the comparator's output is reflective ofthe impedances substantially matching. If the impedance of the battery1440 is greater than the given impedance (Z), then the comparator'soutput is indicative of how much greater the impedance of the battery1440 is than that of the given impedance (Z). If the impedance of thebattery 1440 is less than the given impedance (Z), then the comparator'soutput is indicative of how much less the impedance of the battery 1440is than that of the given impedance (Z).

FIG. 16 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 1600 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention. Similar to other diagrams, examples, embodiments, etc.herein, the DSC 28-a 3 of this diagram is in communication with one ormore processing modules 42. Similar to the previous diagram, althoughproviding a different embodiment of the DSC, the DSC 28-a 3 isconfigured to provide a signal (e.g., a monitoring signal) to thebattery 1440 (e.g., to a terminal of the battery 1440) via a single lineand simultaneously to sense that signal via the single line. In someexamples, sensing the signal includes detection of an electrical of thebattery that is based on a response of the battery to that signal. Inaddition, note that the battery 1440 may be implemented to service andprovide energy to one or more loads 1490. In some examples, the DSC 28-a3 is configured to provide the signal (e.g., monitoring signal) to thebattery 1440 during non-charging related operation of the battery 1440.

This embodiment of a DSC 28-a 3 includes a voltage source 110-2 and apower signal change detection circuit 112-a 2. The power signal changedetection circuit 112-a 2 includes a power source reference circuit130-2 and a comparator 132-2. The voltage source 110-2 may be a battery,a linear regulator, a DC-DC converter, etc.

In an example of operation, the power source reference circuit 130-2provides a voltage reference 136 with DC and oscillating components tothe voltage source 110-2. The voltage source generates a voltage as thepower signal 116 based on the voltage reference 136. An electricalcharacteristic of the battery 1440 has an effect on the voltage powersignal 116. For example, if the impedance of the battery 1440 decreasesand the voltage power signal 116 remains substantially unchanged, thecurrent through the battery 1440 has increased.

The comparator 132 compares the voltage reference 136 with the affectedpower signal 118 to produce the signal 120 that is representative of thechange to the power signal. For example, the voltage reference signal134 corresponds to a given voltage (V) divided by a given impedance (Z).The voltage reference generates the power signal to produce the givenvoltage (V). If the impedance of the battery 1440 substantially matchesthe given impedance (Z), then the comparator's output is reflective ofthe impedances substantially matching. If the impedance of the battery1440 is greater than the given impedance (Z), then the comparator'soutput is indicative of how much greater the impedance of the battery1440 is than that of the given impedance (Z). If the impedance of thebattery 1440 is less than the given impedance (Z), then the comparator'soutput is indicative of how much less the impedance of the battery 1440is than that of the given impedance (Z).

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 1700 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention. Similar to other diagrams, examples, embodiments, etc.herein, the DSC 28-a 4 of this diagram is in communication with one ormore processing modules 42.

Generally speaking, this diagram illustrates DSC 28-a 4 that includes animplementation of the DSC 28-a 2 and the DSC 28-a 3 such that either oneof them may be implemented to interact with the battery 1440 at a giventime. For example, the one or more processing modules 42 is configuredto effectuate connectivity of the switches 1780 in 1781 to facilitateoperation of the DSC 28-a 2 for the DSC 28-a 3 at different respectivetimes. In an example of operation and implementation, when performing acharging operation on the battery 1440, the DSC 28-a 2 is implemented tointeract with the battery 1440 in accordance with providing a chargesignal (e.g., a current signal) to the battery 1440 that has a nonzeroDC offset (e.g., such as a nonzero DC offset voltage with respect to thevoltage of the battery, Vbattery). Note that this mode of operation ofperforming battery characterization during charge operation of thebattery 1440 may be performed during the entire time over which thebattery undergoes a charge cycle, only one or more time periods of thattime during which the battery undergoes a charge cycle, continuallyduring a charge operation, in response to one or more conditions, etc.

In addition, in another example of operation and implementation, when anon-charging operation of the battery 1440 is being performed such aswhen performing a monitoring operation (and no charging) on the battery1440, the DSC 28-a 2 is implemented to interact with the battery 1440 inaccordance with providing a monitoring signal (e.g., a current signal)to the battery 1440 that has a zero DC offset.

In yet another example of operation and implementation, when anon-charging operation of the battery 1440 is being performed such aswhen performing a monitoring operation (and no charging) on the battery1440, the DSC 28-a 3 is implemented to interact with the battery 1440and to provide a voltage signal having a zero DC offset to the battery1440 such as may be used to facilitate characterization of one or moreelectrical characteristics of the battery 1440. For example, even when acharging operation on the battery 1440 is not being performed, the oneor more processing modules 42 is configured to facilitate operation ofthe DSC 28-a 3 to interact with the battery 1440 so thatcharacterization of the battery 1440 may be performed. Note that thismode of operation of performing battery characterization duringnon-charge operation of the battery 1440 may be performed at any desiredtime, continually during operation, in response to one or moreconditions, etc.

In yet another example of operation and implementation, when performinga charging operation on the battery 1440, the DSC 28-a 1 is implementedto interact with the battery 1440 in accordance with providing a chargesignal (e.g., a voltage signal) to the battery 1440 that has a nonzeroDC offset (e.g., such as a nonzero DC offset voltage with respect to thevoltage of the battery, Vbattery). Note that this mode of operation ofperforming battery characterization during charge operation of thebattery 1440 may also be performed during the entire time over which thebattery undergoes a charge cycle, only one or more time periods of thattime during which the battery undergoes a charge cycle, continuallyduring a charge operation, in response to one or more conditions, etc.

FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 1800 of varioustypes of signals that may be provided from a DSC to a battery inaccordance with the present invention. At the top of this diagram is asimilar implementation of that which is shown above in FIG. 14 . At thebottom of this diagram are examples of a charge signal or a monitoringsignal that may be used to perform battery characterization in operationwith the DSC 28 and the one or more processing modules 42.

The bottom left of the diagram shows a charge signal having both an ACcomponent 1724 and a DC component 1722 (e.g., considering an example inwhich the charge signal is provided via a voltage signal, such as from avoltage source, then the DC component 1722 would include some value Xabove the voltage of the battery, Vbattery). Note that the value of Xmay be positive or negative in different examples. Considering oneparticular example, the DSC 28 is implemented to facilitate dischargingof the battery by providing a DC component 1722 that is less than thevoltage of the battery, Vbattery. For example, this may be viewed asproviding a signal to the battery 1440 that is opposite of what would beprovided to facilitate charging of the battery 1440. In some examples,this is performed (e.g., only for a short period of time such as lessthan one second, multiple seconds, etc.) before charging of the batteryby providing a DC component 1722 that is greater than the voltage of thebattery, Vbattery.

In one particular implementation, the DC component 1722 is shown ashaving a constant level over time, and the AC component 1724 is shown asvarying as a function of time and having a DC offset level of the DCcomponent 1722. In some examples, note that the magnitude of the ACcomponent 1724 is relatively small in comparison to the magnitude of theDC component 1722 in certain examples. For example, the magnitude or thepeak to peak signal range of the AC component 1724 is within range of0.01 to 1% of the magnitude of the DC component in some examples. Inother examples, the AC component 1724 is within range of 1% to 5% of themagnitude of the DC component 1722. In even other examples, the ACcomponent 1724 is within range of 5% to 10% of the magnitude of the DCcomponent 1722. Generally speaking, the DSC 28 and the one or moreprocessing modules 42 they be configured to provide any desired signalmagnitude of the AC component 1724, and generally speaking, the ACcomponent 1724 is selected so as to facilitate battery characterizationof the battery 1440 without adversely affecting the charging of thebattery 1440.

In other examples, the magnitude or the peak to peak signal range of theAC component 1724 is directly selected to have a particular value, suchas a certain number of amps (e.g., 10 micro-amps, 100 micro-amps, 500micro-amps, 1.3 milliamps, 5 mA, 10 mA, 100 mA, 500 mA, 1 A, etc., orany other desired value).

Considering an example of a lead acid battery including 6 cells eachhaving a nominal voltage of 2.1 V per cell to provide a battery voltageof 12.6 V, and having a rating of 125 amp hours, meaning it can supply acurrent signal of 10 A for 12.5 hours for 20 A for a period of 6.25hours, then a charging current of 25% of the battery capacity issometimes used during at least a portion of a charging process for leadacid battery. The battery capacity is provided in terms of amp hours(Ah), and an associated current rating based on C is often used, where Ccorresponds to a measure of the rate at which the battery is dischargedrelative to its maximum capacity. For example, a 1 C rate means that thedischarge current of the battery will discharge the entire battery inone hour, and in considering a battery having a capacity of 125 amphours, then the 1 C discharge current would be 125 A. The chargingcurrent of 25% of 125 A, namely, 31.25 A, would be used in certainexamples. Considering a battery having a capacity of 45 amp hours, the 1C rate would be 45 A, and a charging current of 25% of 45 A, namely,11.25 A, would be used in certain examples.

In one example, considering a charge signal having a DC component 1722of 31.25 A, an AC component 1724 having a magnitude that is 1% of the DCcomponent 1722 correspond to 0.3125 A or 312.5 mA, an AC component 1724having a magnitude that is 5% of the DC component 1722 correspond to1.5625 A, and an AC component 1724 having a magnitude that is 10% of theDC component 1722 correspond to 3.125 A. In another example, consideringa charge signal having a DC component 1722 of 11.25 A, an AC component1724 having a magnitude that is 1% of the DC component 1722 correspondto 0.1125 A or 112.5 mA, an AC component 1724 having a magnitude that is5% of the DC component 1722 correspond to 0.5625 A or 562.5 mA, and a anAC component 1724 having a magnitude that is 10% of the DC component1722 correspond to 1.125 A.

In yet other examples, the magnitude or the peak to peak signal range ofthe AC component 1724 is directly selected to have a particular value,such as a certain number of amps (e.g., 10 micro-amps, 100 micro-amps,500 micro-amps, 1.3 milliamps (mA), 5 mA, 10 mA, 100 mA, 500 mA, 1 A,etc., or any other desired value).

Considering an example of a Lithium-ion battery including 3 or 4 cellseach having a nominal voltage of approximately 3.6/3.7 V per cell toprovide a battery voltage of 10.8-14.8 V, and having a capacity forrating of 2000 mA hours, or 2 amp hours, then the 1 discharge currentwould be 2000 mA thereby fully discharging the battery within one hour.With respect to Lithium-ion batteries, a charging current of 0.5-1.0 Cis sometimes used. Some manufacturers recommend a charging current of0.8 C during at least a portion of a charging process.

In some examples, note that the magnitude of the DC component 1722varies during different time periods of the charging cycle, as isdescribed in some other examples herein. In such instances, note thatthe magnitude of the AC component 1724 is implemented such that itremains at a constant value even as the DC component 1722 varies. Inother instances, note that the magnitude of the AC component 1724 isimplemented such that it varies based on change of the magnitude of theDC component 1722 to maintain a similar percentage magnitude incomparison to the DC component 1722. For example, when the magnitude ofthe DC component 1722 changes in a charging cycle to one half of a priorvalue (e.g., from 0.25 C to 0.125 C), then the magnitude of the AC, 1724is also similarly modified to be one half of a prior value.

In one example, considering a charge signal having a DC component 1722of 1.6 A (e.g., 0.8 C of a battery having a 1 C rating of 2000 mA, or 2amps), an AC component 1724 having a magnitude that is 1% of the DCcomponent 1722 correspond to 0.016 A or 16 mA, an AC component 1724having a magnitude that is 5% of the DC component 1722 correspond to0.08 A or 80 mA, and a an AC component 1724 having a magnitude that is10% of the DC component 1722 correspond to 0.16 A or 160 mA.

In yet other examples, the magnitude or the peak to peak signal range ofthe AC component 1724 is directly selected to have a particular value,such as a certain number of amps (e.g., 10 micro-amps, 100 micro-amps,500 micro-amps, 1.3 milliamps, 5 mA, 10 mA, 100 mA, 500 mA, 1 A, etc.,or any other desired value).

The bottom right of the diagram shows a monitoring signal having both anAC component 1724 and no DC component 1722 (e.g., considering an examplein which the monitoring signal is provided via a voltage signal, such asfrom a voltage source, then the DC component 1722 would include somevalue X=0, or a DC component 1722 having a value of zero above thevoltage of the battery, Vbattery). Note that the AC component 1724 maybe implemented as either a current signal or a voltage signal. Themagnitude or the peak to peak signal range of the AC component 1724 maybe any desired value including those described above and within suchranges.

Alternatively, when the AC component 1724 is implemented as a voltagesignal, the magnitude or the peak to peak signal range of the ACcomponent 1724 may be selected as being based on the voltage rating ofthe battery (e.g., such as within a range of 0.01 to 1% of the magnitudeof the magnitude voltage rating of the battery in some examples, withina range of 1% to 5% of the magnitude of the voltage rating of thebattery in other examples, and within a range of 5% to 10% of themagnitude of the voltage rating of the battery in even other examples).

In one example, considering a lead acid battery having a voltage ratingof 12.6 V, then a corresponding AC component 1724 of a monitoring signalbeing 0.1% of the battery voltage rating would be 0.0126 V or 12.6 mV,0.5% of the battery voltage rating would be 0.063 V or 63 mV, 1% of thebattery voltage rating would be 0.126 V or 126 mV, 5% of the batteryvoltage rating would be 0.63 V or 630 mV, and 10% of the battery voltagerating would be 1.26 V.

In another example, considering a Lithium-ion battery having a voltagerating of 10.8 V, then a corresponding AC component 1724 of a monitoringsignal being 0.1% of the battery voltage rating would be 0.0126 V or12.6 mV, 0.5% of the battery voltage rating would be 0.054 V or 54 mV,1% of the battery voltage rating would be 0.108 V or 108 mV, 5% of thebattery voltage rating would be 0.54 V or 540 mV, and 10% of the batteryvoltage rating would be 1.08 V.

In yet other examples, when the AC component 1724 is implemented as avoltage signal, the magnitude or the peak to peak signal range of the ACcomponent 1724 is directly selected to have a particular value, such asa certain number of volts (e.g., 10 micro-volts, 50 micro-volts, 100micro-volts, 500 micro-volts, 1 milli-volt, 10 milli-volts, 50milli-volts, 100 milli-volts, 1 V, etc., or any other desired value).

In another example of operation and implementation, a batterycharacterization system includes a drive-sense circuit (DSC) and one ormore processing modules operably coupled to the DSC. The one or moreprocessing modules is connected or coupled to memory, and/or includesmemory, that stores operational instructions.

The DSC is operably coupled to receive a reference signal and togenerate a charge signal that includes an AC (alternating current)component based on the reference signal. When enabled, the DSC operablycoupled and configured to provide the charge signal to a terminal of abattery via a single line and simultaneously to sense the charge signalvia the single line, wherein sensing of the charge signal includesdetection of an electrical characteristic of the battery that is basedon a response of the battery to the charge signal and to generate adigital signal representative of the electrical characteristic of thebattery that is based on the response of the battery to the chargesignal.

When enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured toexecute the operational instructions to generate the reference signal,and process the digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the charge signal to determine the electrical characteristicof the battery.

In some examples, when enabled, the one or more processing modulesfurther configured to execute the operational instructions to generatethe reference signal to include a frequency sweep of the AC component ofthe charge signal such that the AC component of the charge signalincludes a first frequency at or during a first time and includes asecond frequency different than the first frequency at or during asecond time. At or during the first time, the one or more processingmodules further configured to execute the operational instructions toprocess the digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the AC component of the charge signal that includes the firstfrequency to determine a first value of the electrical characteristic ofthe battery based on the first frequency. At or during the second time,the one or more processing modules further configured to execute theoperational instructions to process the digital signal representative ofthe electrical characteristic of the battery that is based on theresponse of the battery to the AC component of the charge signal thatincludes the second frequency to determine a second value of theelectrical characteristic of the battery based on the second frequency.

Note that the electrical characteristic of the battery may include anyone or more of a resistance of the battery, an impedance of the battery,one or more components of an equivalent circuit model of the battery, asignal response of the battery to the charge signal, a signal responseof the battery to the AC component of the charge signal, and/or spectrumanalysis (SA) information of the battery that is based on a signalresponse of the battery to a frequency sweep of the AC component of thecharge signal.

In some particular examples, the battery characterization system abattery charge supply circuit configured to provide a power signal thatincludes a DC component to the DSC. The DSC is implemented in-linebetween the battery charge supply circuit and the single line couplingto the terminal of the battery and further configured to add the ACcomponent to the DC component in accordance with generating the chargesignal that includes the AC component based on the reference signal.

Also, the DSC may be implemented to include a comparator configured toreceive the reference signal from the one or more processing modules ata first comparator input and to drive the charge signal from a secondcomparator input to the terminal of the battery via the single line andto generate an output comparator signal based on the reference signaland the charge signal. The DSC also includes a dependent current sourceoperably coupled to source a current to the terminal of the battery viathe single line based on control from the output comparator signal. TheDSC also includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) operably coupledto the comparator output, wherein, when enabled, the ADC operablycoupled and configured to process the output comparator signal togenerate the digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the charge signal.

In some specific implementations, the DSC is implemented to include apower source circuit operably coupled to the terminal of the battery viathe single line. When enabled, the power source circuit is configured toprovide the charge signal that includes the AC component via the singleline coupling to the terminal of the battery. The charge signal includesa DC (direct current) component and the AC component. The DSC alsoincludes a power source change detection circuit operably coupled to thepower source circuit. When enabled, the power source change detectioncircuit is configured to detect an effect on the charge signal that isbased on the electrical characteristic of the battery and to generatethe digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic ofthe battery that is based on the response of the battery to the chargesignal.

In some specific examples, the power source circuit is implemented toinclude a power source to source at least one of a voltage or a currentto the terminal of the battery via the single line. The power sourcechange detection circuit is implemented to include a power sourcereference circuit configured to provide at least one of a voltagereference or a current reference based on the reference signal. Thepower source change detection circuit is also implemented to include acomparator configured to compare the at least one of the voltage and thecurrent provided to the terminal of the battery via the single line tothe at least one of the voltage reference and the current reference toproduce the charge signal.

Moreover, in some particular examples, battery characterization systemis implemented such that the power source circuit includes a first powersource circuit and a second power source circuit. Also, the power sourcechange detection circuit includes a first power source change detectioncircuit and a second power source change detection circuit, and thefirst power source circuit includes a current source to source a currentto the terminal of the battery via the single line.

The first power source change detection circuit is implemented toinclude a first power source reference circuit configured to provide acurrent reference based on the reference signal and a first comparatorconfigured to compare the current provided to the terminal of thebattery via the single line to the current reference to produce thecharge signal. The second power source circuit is implemented to includea voltage source to source a voltage to the terminal of the battery viathe single line. The second power source change detection circuit isimplemented to include a second power source reference circuitconfigured to provide a voltage reference based on the reference signaland a second comparator configured to compare the voltage provided tothe terminal of the battery via the single line to the voltage referenceto produce the charge signal.

Several the following diagrams include one or more processing modules42. The one or more processing modules 42 is configured to communicatewith and interact with one or more DSCs 28 and, in some diagrams, one ormore other components. The one or more processing modules 42 is coupledto a DSC 28. Note that the one or more processing modules 42 may includeintegrated memory and/or be coupled to other memory. At least some ofthe memory stores operational instructions to be executed by the one ormore processing modules 42. In addition, note that the one or moreprocessing modules 42 may interface with one or more other devices,components, elements, etc. via one or more communication links,networks, communication pathways, channels, etc. In addition, several ofthe following diagrams include a battery 1440 that may be implemented toservice one or more loads 1490. Various configurations andimplementations are provided by which one or more DSCs 28 may beimplemented to perform battery characterization of the battery 1440.

In this diagram and in certain other embodiments, examples, diagrams,etc., the one or more processing modules 42 is implemented tocharacterize the battery 1440 in cooperation with the DSC 28 andinformation provided there from based on driving one or more signals tothe battery 1440 (e.g., to the terminal of the battery via a singleline) while simultaneously detecting those one or more signals. This mayinvolve generation of a number of different types of informationincluding spectrum analysis (SA) information, estimation of componentsand their respective values within a battery equivalent circuit that isused to characterize the battery 1440, determination of acharge-discharge profile of the battery 1440, determination of chargeand discharge patterns and histories of the battery 1440, determinationof the impedance of the battery 1440, characterization of the impedanceof the battery 1440 is a function of different respective frequencies,tracking of any one or more characteristics of the battery as a functionof time such as change as a function of time of any one or more ofimpedance, SA information, charge and discharge patterns, etc. Note alsothat such battery characterization may be performed at any of a varietyof times. In some examples, the battery characterization is performedduring charging of the battery 1440. In other examples, the batterycharacterization is performed during non-charge operation of the battery1440, such as when the battery 1440 is not being charged, is in thestandby mode, is servicing the one or more loads 1490, etc.

For example, as the DSC 28 provides a signal to the battery 1440 via asingle line, any internal impedance of the battery 1440 may be detectedbased on change of that signal that is provided to the battery 1440 viathe single line in accordance with operation of the DSC 28 as it adaptsthat signal to track a reference signal provided thereto, and anydifference or divergence between the signal being provided to thebattery 1440 and reference signal is interpreted by the one or moreprocessing modules 42 to determine the characteristics of the battery1440.

In an example of operation and implementation, the one or moreprocessing modules 42 is configured to perform communication,interfacing, control, etc. to and with the one or more DSCs 28 and alsoto one or more other components when coupled or connected thereto. Forexample, the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to provideand/or receive, to and/or from a DSC 28, one or more of a referencesignal, power input signal, communication, interfacing, control,receiving a digital information from the DSC, etc.

FIG. 19A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 1901 of a DSCthat is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a battery inaccordance with the present invention. In this diagram, the one or moreprocessing modules 42 is configured to interact and communicate with aDSC 28 and the battery charge supply circuit 1910. The one or moreprocessing modules 42 supports communication, interfacing, control, etc.to and with the battery charge supply circuit 1910. Such communicationand interaction may be implemented in via any desired number ofcommunication pathways between the one or more processing modules 42 andthe battery charge supply circuit 1910 (e.g., generally m communicationpathways, where m is a positive integer greater than or equal to one).

For example, the one or more processing modules 42 is configured toenable operation of the battery charge supply circuit 1910 for chargingof the battery 1440 and disable operation of the battery charge supplycircuit 1910 during non-charge operations such as discharge of thebattery 1440. The one or more processing modules 42 is configured tofacilitate charging of a battery 1440 using the battery charge supplycircuit 1910 and the DSC 28. In this diagram, the battery charge supplycircuit 1910 provides a DC component of the charge signal, and the DSC28 is configured to provide an AC component that is modulated onto oradded onto the DC component of the charge signal. The DSC 28 isconfigured to perform single line drive and sense (e.g., both driving ortransmitting of the AC component of the charge signal and simultaneousdetecting or receiving of any effect on the AC component of the chargesignal a single line). In addition, note that any effect on the DCcomponent of the charge signal is also detected by the DSC 28 via thesingle line.

In some examples, note that the DSC 28 is configured to provide an ACcomponent that is modulated onto or added onto the DC component of thecharge signal via an AC coupling capacitor (e.g., as shown in a dottedline box). In other examples, the DSC 28 is configured to provide an ACcomponent that is modulated onto or added onto the DC component of thecharge signal via a direct connection or coupling to the line betweenthe battery charge supply circuit 1910 and the battery 1440.

In this diagram, note that when the battery charge supply circuit 1910is not operative to perform charging by the delivery of a DC componentof a charge signal to the battery 1440, such as when one or moreprocessing modules 42 disables operation of the battery charge supplycircuit 1910 during non-charge operation, the DSC 28 may nevertheless beoperative to provide a monitoring signal, whether as a current signal ora voltage signal, to perform characterization of the battery 1440. Inaddition, in some alternative examples, power is provided to the DSC 28from the battery charge circuit 1910 directly, and not from the one ormore processing modules 42.

FIG. 19B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 1902 of aDSC that is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a batteryin accordance with the present invention. This diagram is similar to theprevious diagram with at least one difference being that another DSC 28is implemented between the one or more processing modules 42 and thebattery charge supply circuit 1910. For example, in this diagram, a DSC28 is implemented to facilitate the interaction between the one or moreprocessing modules 42 and the battery charge supply circuit 1910including control of the battery charge supply circuit 1910 by the oneor more processing modules 42.

With respect to this diagram as well, note that in some examples, notethat the DSC 28 is configured to provide an AC component that ismodulated onto or added onto the DC component of the charge signal viaan AC coupling capacitor (e.g., as shown in a dotted line box). In otherexamples, the DSC 28 is configured to provide an AC component that ismodulated onto or added onto the DC component of the charge signal via adirect connection or coupling to the line between the battery chargesupply circuit 1910 and the battery 1440.

In yet another example of operation and implementation, a batterycharacterization system includes a battery charge supply circuit, adrive-sense circuit (DSC), and one or more processing modules operablycoupled to the DSC. The one or more processing modules is connected orcoupled to memory, and/or includes memory, that stores operationalinstructions.

The battery charge supply circuit configured to output a charge signalthat includes a DC component to a terminal of a battery. The DSC isoperably coupled to generate an AC (alternating current) component basedon a reference signal and to add the AC component to the charge signalthat includes the DC component that is output to the terminal of abattery. When enabled, the DSC is operably coupled and configured to addthe AC component to the charge signal via a single line andsimultaneously to sense the charge signal and the AC component via thesingle line, wherein sensing of the charge signal and the AC componentincludes detection of an electrical characteristic of the battery thatis based on a response of the battery to at least one of the chargesignal or the AC component. Also, the DSC is operably coupled andconfigured to generate a digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the at least one of the charge signal or the AC component.

When enabled, the one or more processing modules is configured toexecute the operational instructions to generate the reference signaland to process the digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the at least one of the charge signal or the AC component todetermine the electrical characteristic of the battery.

In some examples, when enabled, the one or more processing modules isfurther configured to execute the operational instructions to generatethe reference signal to include a frequency sweep of the AC componentsuch that the AC component includes a first frequency at or during afirst time and includes a second frequency different than the firstfrequency at or during a second time. At or during the first time, theone or more processing modules is further configured to execute theoperational instructions to process the digital signal representative ofthe electrical characteristic of the battery that is based on theresponse of the battery to the at least one of the charge signal or theAC component that includes the first frequency to determine a firstvalue of the electrical characteristic of the battery based on the firstfrequency. At or during the second time, the one or more processingmodules is further configured to execute the operational instructions toprocess the digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the at least one of the charge signal or the AC componentthat includes the second frequency to determine a second value of theelectrical characteristic of the battery based on the second frequency.

Note that the electrical characteristic of the battery may correspond toany one or more of a resistance of the battery, an impedance of thebattery, one or more components of an equivalent circuit model of thebattery, a signal response of the battery to the charge signal, a signalresponse of the battery to the AC component of the charge signal, and/orspectrum analysis (SA) information of the battery that is based on asignal response of the battery to a frequency sweep of the AC componentof the charge signal.

In some particular examples, the DSC is implemented to include acomparator configured to receive the reference signal from the one ormore processing modules at a first comparator input and to add the ACcomponent to the charge signal from a second comparator input to theterminal of the battery via the single line and to generate an outputcomparator signal based on the reference signal and the charge signalincluding the AC component. The DSC also includes a dependent currentsource operably coupled to source a current to add the AC component tothe charge signal via the single line based on control from the outputcomparator signal. The DSC also includes an analog to digital converter(ADC) operably coupled to the comparator output. When enabled, the ADCoperably coupled and configured to process the output comparator signalto generate the digital signal representative of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on the response of thebattery to the at least one of the charge signal or the AC component.

Also, in certain examples, the DSC also includes a power source circuitoperably coupled to the terminal of the battery via the single line.When enabled, the power source circuit is configured to add the ACcomponent to the charge signal via the single line. Also, when enabled,The DSC also includes is configured to detect an effect on the at leastone of the charge signal or the AC component that is based on theelectrical characteristic of the battery and to generate the digitalsignal representative of the electrical characteristic of the batterythat is based on the response of the battery to the at least one of thecharge signal or the AC component.

FIG. 20A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2001 of aDSC that is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a batteryin accordance with the present invention. In this diagram, a DSC 28 isimplemented in-line between the battery charge supply circuit 1910 andthe battery 1440. The DSC 28 receives the power signal providing a DCcomponent of a charge signal from the battery charge supply circuit 1910when it is enabled for operation by the one or more processing modules42. When performing battery characterization during a battery chargingoperation, the DSC 28 adds an additional AC component onto the DCcomponent of the charge signal to facilitate characterization of thebattery 1440. When performing characterization during non-charge batteryoperation, the DSC 28 provides a signal having only an AC component tothe battery 1440.

FIG. 20B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2002 of aDSC that is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a batteryin accordance with the present invention. This diagram is similar to theprevious diagram with at least one difference being that a referencesignal circuit 2005 is implemented between the one or more processingmodules 42 and the DSC 28 to provide a reference signal to the DSC 28.Note that one or more additional circuits, such as the reference signalcircuit 2005, may be implemented between the one or more processingmodules 42 and a DSC 28 that is implemented to facilitatecharacterization of the battery 1440 to assist in providing a referencesignal to the DSC 28 having any one or more desired characteristics suchas frequency, amplitude, shape, waveform type, etc. In certain otherexamples, the one or more processing modules 42 itself includesappropriate functionality and capability to provide a reference signalto the DSC 28 having any such one or more desired characteristics.

FIG. 21A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2101 of aDSC that is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram shows an alternative implementation of the DSC28-1 and includes a power source circuit 2110 and a signal changedetection circuit 2112. The battery 1440 includes and exhibits one ormore varying electrical characteristics that may be varying over time(e.g., resistance, capacity, capacitance, inductance, impedance, currentdelivering capability, power delivering capability, voltage level, etc.)based on varying physical conditions (e.g., age, usage, number of chargeand discharge cycles, pressure, temperature, etc.).

The power source circuit 2110 is operably coupled to the battery 1440and, when enabled (e.g., from a control signal from the one or moreprocessing modules 42, power is applied, a switch is closed, a referencesignal is received, etc.) provides a charge signal or monitoring signalto the battery 1440. The power source circuit 2110 may be a voltagesupply circuit (e.g., a battery, a linear regulator, an unregulatedDC-to-DC converter, etc.) to produce a voltage-based power signal, acurrent supply circuit (e.g., a current source circuit, a current mirrorcircuit, etc.) to produce a current-based power signal, or a circuitthat provide a desired power level to the battery 1440 and substantiallymatches impedance of the battery 1440. The power source circuit 2110generates the charge signal or monitoring signal to include a DC (directcurrent) component and/or an oscillating component.

When receiving the charge signal or monitoring signal, one or moreelectrical characteristics of the battery 1440 affect the charge signalor monitoring signal. When the signal change detection circuit 2112 isenabled, it detects the effect on the charge signal or monitoring signalas a result of the electrical characteristic of the battery 1440. Thepower signal change detection circuit 112 determines any change of thecharge signal or monitoring signal and generates a signal that isrepresentative of the change to the charge signal or monitoring signal.

In some examples, the charge signal or monitoring signal includes a DCcomponent and/or an oscillating (AC) component 124 (e.g., such as shownin FIG. 18 ). The oscillating (AC) component includes a sinusoidalsignal, a square wave signal, a triangular wave signal, a multiple levelsignal (e.g., has varying magnitude over time with respect to the DCcomponent), and/or a polygonal signal (e.g., has a symmetrical orasymmetrical polygonal shape with respect to the DC component).

In an embodiment, power source circuit 2110 varies frequency of theoscillating (AC) component of the charge signal or monitoring signal sothat it can be tuned to the impedance of the battery 1440 and/or to beoff-set in frequency from other power signals in a system. For example,an capacitive impedance the battery 1440 (e.g., such as a capacitiveelement of an equivalent circuit used to characterize and describe thebattery 1440) decreases with frequency. As such, if the frequency of theoscillating (AC) component is too high with respect to the capacitance,the capacitor looks like a short and variances in capacitances will bemissed. Similarly, if the frequency of the oscillating component is toolow with respect to the capacitance, the capacitor looks like an openand variances in capacitances will be missed.

For another example, an inductive impedance the battery 1440 (e.g., suchas a capacitive element of an equivalent circuit used to characterizeand describe the battery 1440) increases with frequency. As such, if thefrequency of the oscillating (AC) component is too low with respect tothe inductance, the inductance looks like a short and variances ininductances will be missed. Similarly, if the frequency of theoscillating component is too high with respect to the inductance, theinductance looks like an open and variances in inductances will bemissed.

In an embodiment, the power source circuit 2110 varies magnitude of theDC component and/or the oscillating (AC) component to improve resolutionof sensing/detection of any change of the charge signal or monitoringsignal and/or to adjust power consumption of such sensing/detection. Inaddition, the power source circuit 2110 generates the charge signal ormonitoring signal such that the magnitude of the oscillating (AC)component is less than magnitude of the DC component 122.

FIG. 21B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2102 of aDSC that is interactive with battery charge supply circuit and a batteryin accordance with the present invention. A DSC 28-2 is coupled orconnected to a battery charge supply circuit 1910, and the DSC 28-2includes a signal change detection circuit 2112. When enabled foroperation by the one or more processing modules 42, the battery chargesupply circuit 1910 generates a DC component of a charge signal that isprovided to the power source circuit 2110 and may be combined with an ACcomponent that is generated by and provided from the DSC 28-2.

When the DSC 28-2 is receiving the charge signal or monitoring signal,the DSC 28-2 is configured to detect/sense any effect on the chargesignal or monitoring signal based on one or more electricalcharacteristics of the battery 1440.

Certain of the following diagrams show various implementations of chargesignals that may be used to perform charging of batteries while alsoperforming battery characterization. In many of the diagrams, thevertical axis is shown as the magnitude of the charge signal, many ofwhich are shown as current, and provided as a function of Ccorresponding to the rating and capacity of the battery such asdescribed above. For example, consider a 2000 mA hour battery of aLithium-ion type, then a current of 1 C would correspond to 2000 mA,being the amount of current, that when drawn, would deplete the batterywithin one hour.

In many of the examples, and AC component is shown as being modulated ona DC component of the charge signal. Note that in a chargingapplication, the DC component is used to effectuate charging of thebattery, and the AC component may be used to perform batterycharacterization during the charging of the battery. Note also that theAC component may be used only at certain particular times. For example,with respect to FIG. 32 herein, different respective examples of batterycharacterization are described such that battery characterization may beperformed during battery charge operation, during non-charge operation,optionally only during certain portions of a battery charge operation,optionally only during certain portions of non-charge operation, and/orany desired combination.

FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram showing various embodiments 2201,2202, 2203, and 2204 of charge signals that may be used to charge abattery in accordance with the present invention. At the top left of thediagram, a charge signal is shown as including both DC and AC components2222 and 2224, respectively. In this diagram, the DC component is of aconstant level. In some examples, the DC component 2222 has a valuewithin the range of 0.1-1.0 C. For example, with respect to aLithium-ion type battery, some manufacturers recommend a chargingcurrent having a DC component 2222 of 0.8 C. With respect to a lead acidtype battery, some manufacturers recommend a charging current having aDC component 2222 of 0.25 C.

At the top right of the diagram, a charge signal is shown as includingan AC component 2234 and a DC component 2232 that changes the values asa function of time. For example, at or during the first time (e.g.,Delta T1), the DC component 2232 has a first value. Then, at or duringthe second time (e.g., Delta T2), the DC component 2232 has a secondvalue that is lower than the first value; then, at or during the thirdtime (e.g., Delta T3), the DC component 2232 has a third value that islower than the second value, and so on. This diagram shows a chargesignal having a changing DC component 2232 that varies and steps down asa function of different respective time periods.

At the bottom left of the diagram, a charge signal is shown as includingan AC component 2244 and a DC component 2242 that maintains a constantlevel at or during a first time (e.g., Delta T1), then gradually reducesat or during a second time (e.g., Delta T2). Such gradual reduction maybe implemented as an exponentially decaying DC component 2242 value as afunction of time based on some desired decay rate.

At the bottom right of the diagram, the charge signal is shown asincluding an AC component 2254 and a DC component 2252 that graduallyincreases at or during the first time (e.g., Delta T1), maintains aconstant level at or during a second time (e.g., Delta T2), thengradually reduces at or during a third time (e.g., Delta T3). Suchgradual increase and/or reduction may be implemented as an exponentiallyincreasing and/or decaying DC component 2252 value as a function of timebased on one or more desired increasing and/or decay rates. Note thatthe rates at which the DC component 2252 increases and decreases at orduring the first time (e.g., Delta T1) and at or during the third time(e.g., Delta T3) may be the same or different as desired in differentrespective applications.

FIG. 23 is a schematic block diagram showing other various embodiments2301 and 2302 of charge signals that may be used to charge a battery inaccordance with the present invention.

The top of the diagram shows one possible charge signal profile such asmay be used for charging a lead acid type battery in performing batterycharacterization. In this example, the charging is performed in threedifferent respective stages corresponding to a constant-current charge(at or during a first time (e.g., Delta T1)), a topping charge (at orduring a second time (e.g., Delta T2)), and a float charge (at or duringa third time (e.g., Delta T3)). As can be seen, an AC component 2324 ismodulated on a DC component 2322, and the DC component 2322 maintains aconstant level during a majority of the charge cycle and takes uproughly half of the required charge time, often times beingapproximately 12 hours in duration, with the constant level portionoccupying approximately 5 hours of that time. During this time period,the battery undergoes the majority of its charging. Some estimatessuggest that lead acid type battery is charged to about 70% of itscapacity and approximately 5-8 hours. The remaining charging is filledwith the topping charge and the float charge and charges the remaining30% of the battery capacity. The float charge generally maintains thebattery at a full charge capacity. The transition from theconstant-current charge to the topping charge is generally performedwhen the battery is beginning to reach its set voltage limit.

Some manufacturers recommend a charging current of a lead acid batteryto be 0.25 C of the rated capacity. others recommend a charging currentof a lead acid battery to be somewhere within the range of 0.1-0.3 C ofthe rated capacity. This diagram shows the constant-current chargesignal level to be 0.2 5 C of the rated capacity. The voltage of thebattery is also shown in the diagram as a function of time and can beseen in relation to the charge signal. As can be seen, the battery veryquickly reaches the maximum voltage of the battery (e.g., 12.6 V in onepossible lead acid battery, considering 6 cells each of approximately2.1 V per cell).

The bottom of the diagram shows one possible charge signal profile suchas may be used for charging a Lithium-ion type battery in performingbattery characterization. In this example, the charging is performed infour different respective stages corresponding to a constant-currentcharge (at or during a first time (e.g., Delta T1)), a saturation charge(at or during a second time (e.g., Delta T2)), a period of providing nocharge signal (at or during a third time (e.g., Delta T3)), and astandby charge (at or during a fourth time (e.g., Delta T4)). Note thatan AC component may still be provided when a zero valued DC component isprovided during the third time (e.g., Delta T3).

Some manufacturers recommend a constant-current charge signal level ofbetween 0.5-1.0 C of the rated capacity. Others recommend aconstant-current charge signal level of 0.8 C of the rated capacity.During the constant-current charge phase, the voltage across therespective Lithium-ion cells increases nearly to the maximum voltage ofthe battery, and this phase typically lasts around one hour. After thevoltage has reached its maximum, the charge signal transitions to asaturation charge phase during which the DC component 2332 of the chargesignal gradually decreases. As the voltage of the battery is maintained,the DC component 2332 of the charge signal continues to decrease, andthis phase can last approximately 2.5 hours. Then, there may be a periodduring which no charge current is provided, such as for the subsequent8.5-9 hours, and then a very small standby charge signal may be providedafter some time, in response to some condition, such as voltage saggingof the voltage maintained by the battery.

The voltage of the battery is also shown in the diagram as a function oftime and can be seen in relation to the charge signal. As can be seen,the battery very quickly reaches the maximum voltage of the battery(e.g., 10.8 V in one possible Lithium-ion battery, considering 3 cellseach of approximately 3.6 V per cell).

FIG. 24A is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment 2401 of azero-time-constant model of an equivalent circuit of a battery that maybe used to perform battery characterization in accordance with thepresent invention. This diagram shows an equivalent circuitrepresentation of a battery that includes a voltage source, Voc,corresponding to the open circuit voltage of the battery when no load isconnected and a singular resistor, Rs, sometimes characterized ascorresponding to the resistance of the electrodes and the electrolyte ofthe battery, through which the current battery, Ibatt, flows to theterminal of the battery that provides an output voltage, Vbatt, whenconnected to one or more loads. With respect to this equivalent circuitrepresentation of the battery, the relationship between the variousparameters is as follows: Vbatt=Voc−Rs×Ibatt.

As can be seems suspect this diagram, the internal impedance of thebattery is shown solely as a singular resistor, Rs. There are many otherpossible equivalent circuit representations of the battery includingthose described below that provide representation of reactancecomponents of the impedance of the battery including characterizing thatimpedance using capacitive and/or inductive components showing variationof that impedance as a function of frequency. Such an equivalent circuitmodel of the battery in accordance with this diagram may be used forvarious battery types including lead acid and Lithium-ion.

FIG. 24B is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment 2402 of aone-time-constant model of an equivalent circuit of a battery that maybe used to perform battery characterization in accordance with thepresent invention. This diagram shows an alternative equivalent circuitrepresentation of a battery that includes a voltage source, Voc,corresponding to the open circuit voltage of the battery when no load isconnected, an in-line resistor, Rs, sometimes characterized ascorresponding to the resistance of the electrodes and the electrolyte ofthe battery, and also a RC network including a resistor, Rp, and acapacitor, Cp, implemented in parallel and corresponding to thetransient response of the battery charge/discharge profile, throughwhich the current battery, Ibatt, flows to the terminal of the batterythat provides an output voltage, Vbatt, when connected to one or moreloads. The resistor, Rp, and the capacitor, Cp, may be viewed ascorresponding to the charge transfer resistance that is encountered uponcharge transfer from electrode to electrolyte (Rp) and the double layercapacitance of the battery (Cp).

With respect to this equivalent circuit representation of the battery,the relationship between the various parameters is as follows:Vbatt(t)=Voc−Ibatt×(Rs+Rp)+(Ibatt×Rp−Vp(t=0))exp((−t/(Rp×Cp)))

Note that at time, t=0, Vp(t=0)=Voc−Ibatt×(Rs)−Vbatt(t=0).

Note that some alternative equivalent circuit models operate by addingadditional RC elements in the chain of the top half of the equivalentcircuit model. In some modeling, the addition of a chain of RC elementsis used to represent the diffusion impedance of the battery, such aswith respect to a Lithium-ion battery.

Note that there are other equivalent circuit models that mayalternatively be used to represent the characteristics of a battery. Forexample, some alternative equivalent circuit models of a Lithium-ionbattery include more than two RC networks each including a respectiveresistor and a respective fastener, as well as one or more in-linecapacitors connecting between the final RC network in the chain and theterminal of the battery. For example, one possible alternativeequivalent circuit model is a dual polarization (DP) model as describedbelow.

FIG. 24C is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment 2403 of adual polarization (DP) model of an equivalent circuit of a battery thatmay be used to perform battery characterization in accordance with thepresent invention. This diagram shows yet another alternative equivalentcircuit representation of a battery that includes a voltage source, Voc,corresponding to the open circuit voltage of the battery when no load isconnected, an in-line inductor used to model inductive behavior of thebattery at very high frequencies, Ls, an in-line resistor, Rs, sometimescharacterized as corresponding to the resistance of the electrodes andthe electrolyte of the battery, and also multiple RC networks eachincluding a respective resistor, Rp1 and Rp2, and a respectivecapacitor, Cp1 and Cp2, each respectively implemented in parallel andcorresponding to the transient response of the battery charge/dischargeprofile as well as representing the diffusion impedance of the battery,through which the current battery, Ibatt, flows to the terminal of thebattery that provides an output voltage, Vbatt, when connected to one ormore loads.

FIG. 25 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2500 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention. In this diagram, one or more processing modules 42 isconfigured to communicate with and interact with a DSC 28-25. The one ormore processing modules 42 is coupled to a DSC 28-25 and is operable toprovide control to and communication with the DSC 28-25. In this diagramhas also described with respect to other diagrams, note that the one ormore processing modules 42 may include integrated memory and/or becoupled to other memory. At least some of the memory stores operationalinstructions to be executed by the one or more processing modules 42. Inaddition, note that the one or more processing modules 42 may interfacewith one or more other devices, components, elements, etc. via one ormore communication links, networks, communication pathways, channels,etc.

In this diagram, the one or more processing module 42 is configured toprovide a reference signal to one of the inputs of a comparator 2515.Note that the comparator 2515 may alternatively be implemented as anoperational amplifier in certain embodiments. The other input of thecomparator 2515 is coupled to provide a charge signal or monitoringsignal directly from the DSC 28-25 to the battery 1440, which optionallyservices one or more loads 1490. The reference signal may be viewed asthe reference signal that is used to control the charge signal ormonitoring signal that is output from the DSC 28-25 to the battery 1440,which optionally services one or more loads 1490. The DSC 28-25 isimplemented such that any effect on the charge signal or monitoringsignal is detected and compensated for so that the charge signal ormonitoring signal tracks the reference signal.

The DSC 28-25 is configured to provide the charge signal or monitoringsignal to the battery 1440 and also simultaneously to sense the chargesignal or monitoring signal and to detect any effect on the chargesignal or monitoring signal (e.g., via a single line connecting orcoupling the DSC 28-25 to the battery 1440.

The output of the comparator 2515 is provided to an analog to digitalconverter (ADC) 2560 that is configured to generate a digital signalthat is representative of the effect on the charge signal or monitoringsignal that is provided to the battery 1440. In addition, the digitalsignal is output from the ADC 1760 is fed back as a control signal, viaa digital to analog converter (DAC) 2562, to generate a control signalof a dependent current source 2570 that is operably coupled to generateand provide the charge signal or monitoring signal to the battery 1440.In addition, the digital signal that is representative of the effect onthe drive signal is also provided to the one or more processing modules42. The one or more processing modules 42 is configured to providecontrol to and be in communication with the DSC 28-25 including to adaptthe charge signal or monitoring signal that is provided to thecomparator 2515 therein as desired to direct and control operation ofthe battery 1440 via the drive signal (e.g., such as effectuating abattery charge operation, a battery characterization operation, asimultaneous battery charge and battery characterization operation,etc.).

Note that the reference signal provided from the one or more processingmodules 42 to the DSC 28-25 may be variable and adjustable and adaptivewith respect to different operational modes. For example, the referencesignal will include different respective characteristics based on whatis being done and performed by the DSC 28-25 when interacting with thebattery 1440. For example, the reference signal may include one or bothof DC and or AC components. When performing a battery characterizationoperation, the reference signal may include only an AC component suchthat there is no DC component. An AC components of the reference signalmay have a varying frequency as a function of time, such as inaccordance with performing a frequency sweep of the AC component tofacilitate characterization of the battery across a number of differentfrequencies, the reference signal may be appropriately modified andadapted to facilitate generation of spectrum analysis (SA) informationcorresponding to the battery 1440, etc. Generally speaking, thereference signal provided from the one or more processing modules 42 maybe of any type desired and have any one or more characteristics. Thecharge signal or monitoring signal provided from the dependent currentsource 2570 and the output of the comparator 2515 to the battery 1440will track the reference signal provided from the one or more processingmodules 42.

Note also that an alternative implementation may be made by replacingthe dependent current source 2570 with a voltage source, such as adependent voltage source, may alternatively be implemented withinanother variation of a DSC that may be used to facilitate batterycharacterization.

In this diagram, the one or more processing modules 42 is configured toperform processing of the digital signal provided from the DSC 28-25that is representative of an electrical characteristic of the battery1440 that is based on the response of the battery 1442 the charge ormonitoring signal to determine the electrical characteristic of thebattery 1440. Also, note that the electrical characteristic of thebattery 1440 may be of any of a variety of types include any one or moreof a resistance of the battery, an impedance of the battery, one or morecomponents of an equivalent circuit model of the battery, a signalresponse of the battery to the charge signal or monitoring signal, asignal response of the battery to the AC component of the charge signalor monitoring signal, and/or spectrum analysis (SA) information of thebattery that is based on a signal response of the battery to a frequencysweep of the AC component of the charge signal or monitoring signal.

FIG. 26 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2600 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram is similar to the previous diagram with at leastone difference that a DSC 28-26 includes an output of the comparator2515 that is operably coupled to provide a signal to a digital spectrumanalysis (SA) circuit 2670. Note that such a digital SA circuit 2670 maybe implemented to include one or more components such as an analog todigital converter (ADC), a digital signal processor (DSP), etc. Thedigital SA circuit 2670 but this diagram is a separate and dedicatedcircuit, separate from the one or more processing modules 42, that isconfigured to provide SA information to the one or more processingmodules 42.

FIG. 27 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2700 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram is similar to FIG. 25 with at least onedifference being that a DSC 28-27 does not include any DAC in thecontrol loop that provides control to the dependent current source 2570.In this diagram, the output from the comparator 2570 is provided tocontrol the dependent current source 2570.

FIG. 28 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 2800 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram has similarities to certain of the previousdiagrams. For example, in this diagram, a DSC 28-28 does not include anyDAC in the control loop that provides control to the dependent currentsource 2570. In this diagram, the output from the comparator 2570 isprovided to control the dependent current source 2570. Also, thisdiagram is similar to the previous diagram with at least one differencethat a DSC 28-28 includes an output of the comparator 2515 that isoperably coupled to provide a signal to a digital SA circuit 2670 (e.g.,such as may be implemented to include one or more components such as ananalog to digital converter (ADC), a digital signal processor (DSP),etc.). The digital SA circuit 2670 but this diagram is a separate anddedicated circuit, separate from the one or more processing modules 42,that is configured to provide SA information to the one or moreprocessing modules 42.

FIG. 29 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment 2900 ofoperations as may be used to perform battery characterization inaccordance with the present invention. This diagram shows batterycharacterization based on a reference signal having an AC component withfrequency, f. Based on reference signal, a DSC is configured to generatea charge signal or monitoring signal having AC component with thatfrequency, f. Note that when both battery charging and batterycharacterization are performed simultaneously, charge signal having bothAC and DC components is provided from the DSC. Alternatively, when onlybattery characterization is being performed, a monitoring signal havingonly AC components may be provided from the DSC.

Based on the response of the battery to the charge signal or themonitoring signal, the DSC generates a digital signal that isrepresentative of one or more electrical characteristics of the battery.For example, the impedance of the battery, Z(f), at the frequency, f,may be determined based on one or more processing modules interpretingthe digital signal that is provided from the defense see based on theresponse of the battery to the charge signal of monitoring signal.Generally speaking, signal processing is performed to determine one ormore electrical characteristics of the battery. For example, based on achange of one or both of a charge signal or monitoring signal that isprovided to the battery, the DSC is configured to generate a digitalsignal representative of that change.

Consider an example in which a charge signal that is a current signal.As such a charge signal (e.g., current signal in this example) isprovided to the battery, then based on the impedance of the battery,Z(f), one or more characteristics of the charge signal (current signal)will be changed in response to the impedance of the battery, Z(f). Inone example, the impedance of the battery, Z(f), or voltage of thebattery may be determined based on a change of the charge signal(current signal).

In another example, consider a monitoring signal that is a voltagesignal. As such a monitoring signal (voltage signal) is provided to thebattery, then based on the impedance of the battery, Z(f), one or morecharacteristics of the monitoring signal (voltage signal) will bechanged in response to the impedance of the battery, Z(f). In oneexample, the impedance of the battery, Z(f), or current drawn by thebattery may be determined based on a change of the monitoring signal(voltage signal).

One or more processing modules is configured to perform signalprocessing of the digital signal provided from the DSC to determine oneor more electrical characteristics of the battery. Note that such one ormore electrical characteristics of the battery may include any one ormore of spectrum analysis (SA) information, a frequency response of thebattery to the charge or monitoring signal, determination of theimpedance of the battery, Z(f), at the frequency, f, etc. suchdetermination may be used to estimate one or more equivalent circuitparameters of the battery as corresponding to one or more equivalentbattery equivalent circuit models.

In an example of operation and implementation, spectrum analysis (SA)information is generated by measuring the magnitude of the signal thatis detected/sensed by the DSC in response to a charge signal or amonitoring signal that is provided to the battery as a function offrequency within a desired frequency range. Generally speaking, SAinformation corresponds to measuring where the power or energy of thesignal lies as a function of frequency. Such SA information alsoprovides information of the frequency response of the battery, in that,comparison of the charge signal or the monitoring signal to thedetected/sensed signal provides information regarding the electricalcharacteristics of the battery and how it responds to the charge signaland monitoring signal. Such SA information includes informationregarding the spectral components of the detected/sensed signalincluding a dominant frequency (if present), power includingdistribution of where the power within the detected/sensed signal maylie as a function of frequency, harmonics, bandwidth, etc.

There are a variety of ways in which spectrum analysis (SA) informationmay be acquired. In some examples, one or more processing modules isconfigured to perform a Fourier transform operation in accordance withdigital signal processing (e.g., discrete Fourier transform (DFT)) onthe digital signal that is provided from the DSC. For example, based onthe signal that is output from an ADC of the DSC that provides a digitalsignal, the one or more processing modules is configured to perform sucha Fourier transform operation to determine the spectrum of thedetected/sensed signal and where the energy of the signal is located asa function of frequency.

In other examples, a spectrum analyzer using the heterodyne principlemay be used such that an input signal undergoes some initial filtering(e.g., often times attenuation, low pass filtering, etc.), then ispassed through a frequency mixer to perform frequency conversion to adesired frequency, an intermediate frequency (IF), for which thespectrum analyzer is specifically designed intent to process, thensubsequent filtering, and/or amplification, attenuation is performed onthe signal before providing it to an envelope detector that is operativeto detect the amount of energy within the frequency of interest. Overtime, the operation of the frequency mixer is adapted to sweep across adesired frequency range so that analysis of the detected/sensed signalmay be performed at a number of different frequencies within a frequencyrange of interests.

Such SA information may also include the power spectral density (PSD) ofthe detected/sensed signal that corresponds to the spectral energydistribution of the signal as a function of per unit time. Such SAinformation may also include the energy spectral density of thedetected/sensed signal that corresponds to the spectral energydistribution of the signal. Generally speaking, a spectrum analyzer isoperative to determine the signal level of the detected/sensed signal ateach of a number of desired frequencies within a desired frequencyrange.

As described herein, a separately implemented digital spectrum analysis(SA) circuit may be implemented to perform such spectrum analysis, orthe one or more processing modules may be configured to perform digitalsignal processing of a digital signal provided from a DSC in accordancewith such spectrum analysis. The DSC is operative to provide a digitalsignal to such a digital SA circuit or one or more processing modulesthat may undergo any subsequent desired processing includingdetermination of SA information associated with the detected/sensedsignal.

Modifying the frequency of an AC component of a reference signal isprovided to a DSC to be used in the generation of charge signal or amonitoring signal may be performed in a variety of ways. In someexamples, one or more processing modules includes functionality andcapability to generate signals having different frequencies. Forexample, one or more processing modules may include a voltage controlledoscillator (VCO) that is operative to generate a signal having afrequency that is a function of the voltage applied thereto.

FIG. 30 is a schematic block diagram showing another embodiment 3000 ofa circuit configured to provide a reference signal having a desiredfrequency to a DSC in accordance with the present invention. Thisdiagram shows one possible implementation of a numerically controlledoscillator (NCO) that may be used to generate a reference signal to beprovided to the DSC having a desired frequency. The NCO includes a phaseaccumulator 3020 and at least one phase to amplitude converter (PAC).This diagram shows the PAC 1 followed by a DAC 1 that are operative togenerate a reference signal and a PAC 2 followed by a DAC 2 that areoperative to generate another reference signal (e.g., a quadratureoutput of the reference signal generated by the PAC 1 followed by a DAC1).

The phase accumulator 3020 receives a frequency control word (FCW) thatis used to specify the frequency of the signal is to be generated by theNCO. For example, phase accumulation is performed (e.g., using an M-bitinteger register). In operation and when the NCO is clocked, the phaseaccumulator 3020 accumulates or adds to its currently held value at eachclock cycle. The PAC uses the output from the phase accumulator 3020which may be viewed as a phase word (e.g., sometimes using the mostsignificant bits (MSBs) of that phase word, such as in accordance withtruncation of the phase were), as the index to locate an appropriatevalue within a lookup table (LUT) (e.g., a cosine LUT including 2′entries, where m is a positive integer) to provide an output signalhaving the corresponding desired amplitude. This output signal from thePAC is provided to a DAC to generate the reference signal. In thisdiagram, a quadrature output may be generated using a second PAC (e.g.,a sine LUT including 2′ entries, where m is a positive integer).

Generally speaking, in operation, the phase accumulator 3020 creates asawtooth waveform that is processed by the PAC to generate therespective samples of an oscillating signal, such as a sinusoidalsignal. Those respective samples are provided to the DAC to performdigital to analog conversion thereby generating the reference signalthat may be provided to the DSC.

Note that such an NCO may be implemented within one or more processingmodules that is implemented to provide a reference signal to a DSC.Alternatively, an NCO may be implemented in between the one or moreprocessing modules and the DSC and is operative to generate thereference signal to be provided to the DSC based on input from the oneor more processing modules.

FIG. 31 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment 3100 ofoperations as may be used to perform battery characterization across anumber of different frequencies in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram has some similarity to FIG. 29 with at least onedifference being that the frequency of the charge signal or themonitoring signal is varied across a variety of frequencies within adesired frequency range.

Signal processing and electrical signal analysis may be performed on thedigital signal provided from a DSC that is operative to sense/detect theresponse of the charge signal or the monitoring signal that is providedto the battery. As such, battery characterization may be performed notonly based on the response of the battery to an AC component of thecharge signal or the monitoring signal having a singular frequency, butbased on response of the battery to the AC component of the chargesignal or the monitoring signal across any desired frequency range.

FIG. 32 is a schematic block diagram showing various embodiments 3201,3203, 3203, 3204, 3205, and 3206 of different possible operationalsequences involving battery charge, battery characterization, non-chargeincluding various combinations thereof in accordance with the presentinvention.

Note that non-charge operation of the battery may correspond to any oneor more of battery discharge, load servicing, standby, etc. Note thatboth charging of the battery and load servicing by the battery may beperformed on currently/simultaneously. This diagram shows a variety ofexamples of when battery characterization may be performed includingduring charging and during any non-charge operational modes. Forexample, during a charging operational mode, a charge signal may beprovided to the battery that includes both an AC and the DC component tofacilitate battery characterization. During a non-charge operationalmode, and monitoring signal may be provided to the battery that includesonly an AC component to facilitate battery characterization.

With respect to the operational sequence 3201, during a first period oftime, both battery charge and battery characterization are performed.Then, during a second period of time following the first period of time,the battery is operated in a non-charge mode. Then, during a thirdperiod of time following the second period of time, then both batterycharge and battery characterization are performed.

With respect to the operational sequence 3202, during a first period oftime, both battery charge and battery characterization are performed.Then, during a second period of time following the first period of time,the battery is operated in a non-charge mode while batterycharacterization is performed. Then, during a third period of timefollowing the second period of time, then both battery charge andbattery characterization are performed.

With respect to the operational sequence 3203, during a first period oftime, battery charge is performed. Then, during a second period of timefollowing the first period of time, the battery is operated in anon-charge mode while battery characterization is performed during some,but not all, of the second period of time. For example, batterycharacterization may be performed during one or more portions of thesecond period of time and not during others. Then, during a third periodof time following the second period of time, battery charge isperformed.

With respect to the operational sequence 3204, during a first period oftime, battery charge is performed while battery characterization isperformed during a portion of the first period of time. For example,battery characterization may be performed during only part of the firstperiod of time. That is to say, as a charge signal is provided to thebattery, there is a period during which the charge signal includes bothan AC and a DC component, and there is another period during which thecharge signal includes only a DC component during which no batterycharacterization is performed. Then, during a second period of timefollowing the first period of time, the battery is operated in anon-charge mode. Then, during a third period of time following thesecond period of time, battery charge is performed while batterycharacterization is performed during a portion of the third period oftime.

With respect to the operational sequence 3205, during a first period oftime, battery charge is performed while battery characterization isperformed during some, but not all, of the first period of time. Forexample, battery characterization may be performed during one or moreportions of the first period of time and not during others. That is tosay, as a charge signal is provided to the battery in the first periodof time, there may be periods during which the charge signal includesboth an AC and a DC component, and there may be other periods duringwhich the charge signal includes only a DC component during which nobattery characterization is performed. Then, during a second period oftime following the first period of time, the battery is operated in anon-charge mode. Then, during a third period of time following thesecond period of time, battery charge is performed while batterycharacterization is performed during some, but not all, of the thirdperiod of time. For example, battery characterization may be performedduring one or more portions of the third period of time and not duringothers. That is to say, as a charge signal is provided to the battery inthe third period of time, there may be periods during which the chargesignal includes both an AC and a DC component, and there may be otherperiods during which the charge signal includes only a DC componentduring which no battery characterization is performed.

With respect to the operational sequence 3206, during a first period oftime, battery charge is performed while battery characterization isperformed during a portion of the first period of time. For example,battery characterization may be performed during only part of the firstperiod of time. That is to say, as a charge signal is provided to thebattery, there is a period during which the charge signal includes bothan AC and a DC component, and there is another period during which thecharge signal includes only a DC component during which no batterycharacterization is performed. Then, during a second period of timefollowing the first period of time, the battery is operated in anon-charge mode while battery characterization is performed during some,but not all, of the second period of time. For example, batterycharacterization may be performed during one or more portions of thesecond period of time and not during others. Then, during a third periodof time following the second period of time, battery charge is performedwhile battery characterization is performed during a portion of thethird period of time.

Note that such examples of such operational sequences are notexhaustive, in any combination of charge operation, non-chargeoperation, standby, discharge, load servicing, etc. may be performed invarious embodiments, examples, etc. Note that battery characterizationmay be performed at any time including during battery charge andnon-charge operations.

FIG. 33 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a method 3300for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention. The method 3300 operates in step 3310 by generating, within aDSC and based on a reference signal, a charge signal that includes an ACcomponent.

The method 3300 also operates in step 3320 by providing a charge signal(e.g., from a DSC) to a terminal of a battery via a single line andsimultaneously sensing the charge signal via the single line (e.g.,including detection of an electrical characteristic of the battery thatis based on a response of the battery to the charge signal). The method3300 operates in step 3330 by generating a digital signal representativeof the electrical characteristic of the battery that is based on theresponse of the battery to the charge signal.

The method 3300 also operates in step 3340 by generating the referencesignal to include a frequency sweep of the AC component of the chargesignal (or a monitoring signal) such that the AC component of the chargesignal includes different respective frequencies at or during differentrespective times varying across a predetermined frequency range (e.g., afirst frequency at or during a first time and a second frequencydifferent than the first frequency at or during a second time).

Alternatively, note that multiple different respective signals havingmultiple different respective frequencies may be providedsimultaneously/concurrently such that the AC component of the chargesignal or a monitoring signal includes multiple respective signalshaving multiple respective frequencies.

At or during the different respective times, the method 3300 operates instep 3350 by processing the digital signal representative of theelectrical characteristic of the battery that is based on the responseof the battery to the AC component of the charge signal that variesacross the different respective frequencies of the predeterminedfrequency range to determine respective values of the electricalcharacteristic of the battery across the different respectivefrequencies and generating spectrum analysis (SA) information of thebattery that is based on a signal response of the battery to thefrequency sweep of the AC component of the charge signal.

FIG. 34A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a method3401 for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention. The method 3401 operates in step 3410 by generating, within aDSC and based on a reference signal, a charge signal that includes an ACcomponent and a DC component.

The method 3401 also operates in step 3420 by providing a charge signal(e.g., from a DSC) to a terminal of a battery via a single line andsimultaneously sensing the charge signal via the single line (e.g.,including detection of an electrical characteristic of the battery thatis based on a response of the battery to the charge signal). The method3401 operates in step 3430 by generating a digital signal representativeof the electrical characteristic of the battery that is based on theresponse of the battery to the charge signal.

The method 3401 also operates in step 3440 by processing the digitalsignal representative of the electrical characteristic of the batterythat is based on the response of the battery to the charge signal todetermine the electrical characteristic of the battery.

FIG. 34B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a method3402 for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention. The method 3402 operates in step 3410 by generating, within aDSC and based on a reference signal, a monitoring signal that includesan AC component and a DC component.

The method 3402 also operates in step 3420 by providing a monitoringsignal, (e.g., from a DSC) to a terminal of a battery via a single lineand simultaneously sensing the monitoring signal via the single line(e.g., including detection of an electrical characteristic of thebattery that is based on a response of the battery to the monitoringsignal). The method 3402 operates in step 3430 by generating a digitalsignal representative of the electrical characteristic of the batterythat is based on the response of the battery to the monitoring signal.

The method 3402 also operates in step 3440 by processing the digitalsignal representative of the electrical characteristic of the batterythat is based on the response of the battery to the monitoring signal todetermine the electrical characteristic of the battery.

FIG. 35A is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 3501 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention. Based oncharacterization of the battery and one or more of electricalcharacteristics of the battery, a configurable impedance (Z) circuit3510 may be implemented in line and between a DSC 28 and a battery. Byproviding an impedance between a DSC 28 and a battery, and by selectingor setting an appropriate value of that impedance to match the impedanceof the battery (Z_(battery) 3512), maximum power transfer can be madefrom the DSC 28 to the battery. For example, impedance matching involvesproviding an input impedance between the source of power and the load,which is a battery in this case, that matches the impedance of the loadto maximize power transfer or minimize signal reflection from the load(battery).

Consider that the impedance of the battery is purely resistive, then theconfigurable Z circuit 3510 may be configured so that it provides apurely resistive impedance matching the value of the impedance of thebattery. This will maximize power transfer from the DSC 28 to thebattery.

Consider that the impedance of the battery is both resistive andreactance (e.g., Z_(battery)=R+j ωL, or Z_(battery)=R−(1/ωC), etc. whereω=2πf, where f is frequency), and maximum power transfer from the DSC 28to the battery will be achieved when the configurable Z circuit 3510 isconfigured so that it provides the complex conjugate of the impedance ofthe battery. For example, the configurable Z circuit 3510 would beconfigured to provide an impedance of Z_(battery)* to facilitate maximumpower transfer from the DSC 28 to the battery. For example, considerthat the impedance of the battery is Z_(battery)=R+j L, then theconfigurable Z circuit 3510 would be configured to provide an impedancethat is the complex conjugate of the battery, Z=R−j L to facilitatemaximum power transfer from the DSC 28 to the battery.

Minimum reflection of the signal provided to the battery via theconfigurable Z circuit 3510 is achieved when the configurable Z circuit3510 is configured to provide an impedance that matches that of thebattery, Z_(battery).

Note that when the impedance of the battery is purely resistive,configuring the configurable Z circuit 3510 to have a matching impedanceprovides for both maximum power transfer and minimum signal reflection.

FIG. 35B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 3502 of aDSC that is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention. One or more processingmodules 42 is configured to communicate with and interact with a DSC 28.Such communication and interaction may be implemented in via any desirednumber of communication pathways between the one or more processingmodules 42 and the DSC 28 (e.g., generally n communication pathways,where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to one). The one ormore processing modules 42 is coupled to a DSC 28. Note that the one ormore processing modules 42 may include integrated memory and/or becoupled to other memory. At least some of the memory stores operationalinstructions to be executed by the one or more processing modules 42. Inaddition, note that the one or more processing modules 42 may interfacewith one or more other devices, components, elements, etc. via one ormore communication links, networks, communication pathways, channels,etc.

The DSC is configured to provide a charge signal or a monitoring signalto a battery 1440 that may optionally service one or more loads 1490. Inaddition, a configurable Z circuit 3510 a is implemented in line betweenthe battery 1440 and the optional one or more loads 1490. The one ormore processing modules 42 is operative not only to interact with andcontrol operation of the DSC 28 but also to select or set a value ofimpedance to be provided in line between the battery 1440 and theoptional one or more loads 1490 by appropriately configuring theconfigurable Z circuit 3510. In some examples that do not include one ormore loads 1490, the configurable Z circuit 3510 a may be used toprovide one or more known load values on the battery 1440 to facilitateimproved battery monitoring and characterization. For example, byconnecting a known impedance using the configurable Z circuit 3510 a tothe battery 1440, then battery characterization and monitoring may beperformed on the battery 1440 under a known load. Also, in some examplesthe one or more processing modules 42 is operative to select differentrespective impedance values for the configurable Z circuit 3510 a atdifferent times to allow for characterization and monitoring of thebattery 1440 under different respective load conditions. Providing theability to connect known impedance values to the battery 1440 providesyet another aspect by which battery characterization 1440 may beperformed.

In addition, in certain examples, the one or more processing modules 42is configured to select an appropriate impedance for the configurable Zcircuit 3510 a to facilitate maximum power transfer or minimumreflection from the battery 1440 to the one or more loads 1490.Generally speaking, similar principles as described above with respectto maximizing power transfer or minimizing reflection may be implementedat the output of the battery 1440 as it interacts with one or more loads1490.

Note that such a configurable Z circuit 3510 a may also be implementedin other various configurations as described herein has shown withincertain subsequent diagrams as including a configurable Z circuit 3510 athat is implemented in line between the battery 1440 and the optionalone or more loads 1490 (e.g., FIGS. 35C, 36, 37, 38 ).

FIG. 35C is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 3503 of aDSC that is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention. One or more processingmodules 42 is configured to communicate with and interact with a DSC 28.Such communication and interaction may be implemented in via any desirednumber of communication pathways between the one or more processingmodules 42 and the DSC 28 (e.g., generally n communication pathways,where n is a positive integer greater than or equal to one). The one ormore processing modules 42 is coupled to a DSC 28. Note that the one ormore processing modules 42 may include integrated memory and/or becoupled to other memory. At least some of the memory stores operationalinstructions to be executed by the one or more processing modules 42. Inaddition, note that the one or more processing modules 42 may interfacewith one or more other devices, components, elements, etc. via one ormore communication links, networks, communication pathways, channels,etc.

The DSC is configured to provide a charge signal or a monitoring signalvia a configurable Z circuit 3510 to a battery 1440 that may optionallyservice one or more loads 1490. The one or more processing modules 42 isoperative not only to interact with and control operation of the DSC 28but also to select or set a value of impedance to be provided in linebetween the DSC 28 and the battery 1440 by appropriately configuring theconfigurable Z circuit 3510.

Note that the impedance of a battery may change over time due to variousconsiderations including aging, approaching end-of-life, havingundergone multiple charge-discharge cycles, environmental conditionsincluding temperature, etc. Battery characterization may be performed atdifferent times to provide accurate characterization of the impedance ofthe battery at those different times. Having this information regardingcharacterization of the battery including the impedance of the battery,the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to select or set anappropriate value for the configurable Z circuit 3510 to facilitatedesired operation. For example, when maximum power transfer is desiredfrom the DSC 28 to the battery 1440 such as during a charge operation,then the one or more processing modules is configured to select or setan appropriate value for the configurable Z circuit 3510 that is thecomplex conjugate of the impedance of the battery 1440.

Maximizing power transfer from the DSC 28 to the battery 1440 canprovide a number of benefits including faster charging of the battery1440 thereby reducing the amount of charge time, more full or completecharge of the battery 1440, etc. in addition, note that the use of theDSC 28 to facilitate charging of the battery 1440 in cooperation withthe one or more processing modules 42 allows for charge signals of anydesired type to be provided to the battery 1440. Using the configurableZ circuit 3510 and by selecting or setting an appropriate and thereof,even smaller magnitude charge signals may be provided from the DSC 28 tothe battery 1440 via the configurable Z circuit 3510 based on impedancematching to maximize power transfer while still achieving effective andefficient charging of the battery 1440. A number of benefits may beachieved by providing a configurable Z circuit 3510 in line between theDSC 28 and the battery 1440.

Moreover, even during non-charge operation, improvement of batterycharacterization may be achieved by providing an appropriately byselecting an appropriate impedance value for the configurable Z circuit3510. For example, either maximum power transfer or minimal reflectionof a monitoring signal to the battery 1440 may be desired in variousinstances, and an appropriate impedance value may be selected for theconfigurable Z circuit 3510 as may be desired in various examples.

FIG. 36 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 3600 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention. This diagram shows onepossible implementation of a configurable Z circuit 3510-1. In thisdiagram, a zero-time-constant model for the equivalent circuit of thebattery is used as can be seen at the top of the diagram. As such, theimpedance of the battery is characterized as having a purely resistivecomponent. The configurable Z circuit 3510-1 includes a number ofdifferent impedances that are purely resistive components. Based on thedesired operation of the DSC 28 when interacting with the battery 1440,the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to select theappropriate impedance value within the configurable Z circuit 3510-1.For example, the configurable Z circuit 3510-1 includes a number ofdifferent resistances that may be selected to be connected in linebetween the DSC 28 in the battery 1440 (e.g., R1, R2, and so on up toRn, where n is some positive integer value).

In addition, note that an optional direct connection may be selectedwithin the configurable Z circuit 3510-1 such as a connection having noimpedance (e.g., R=0). This may be selected by the one or moreprocessing modules 42 when not maximizing power transfer, performingcharacterization, etc.

FIG. 37 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 3700 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention. This diagram showsanother possible implementation of a configurable Z circa 3510-2. Also,in this diagram, a zero-time-constant model for the equivalent circuitof the battery is used as can be seen at the top of the diagram. Assuch, the impedance of the battery is characterized as having a purelyresistive component. The configurable Z circuit 3510-2 in this diagramincludes a variable resistor having a value that is selected or tuned bythe one or more processing modules 42. Based on the desired operation ofthe DSC 28 when interacting with the battery 1440, the one or moreprocessing modules 42 is configured to set or tune the appropriateimpedance value of the variable resistor within the configurable Zcircuit 3510-2.

In addition, note that an optional direct connection may be selectedwithin the configurable Z circuit 3510-2 such as a connection having noimpedance (e.g., R=0). This may be selected by the one or moreprocessing modules 42 when not maximizing power transfer, performingcharacterization, etc.

FIG. 38 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 3800 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery via a configurable impedance (Z)circuit in accordance with the present invention. This diagram shows yetanother possible implementation of a configurable Z circuit 3510-1. Inthis diagram, a one-time-constant model for the equivalent circuit ofthe battery is used as can be seen at the top of the diagram. As such,the impedance of the battery is characterized as having both a resistivecomponent and a reactance component.

The configurable Z circuit 3510-3 includes a number of differentimpedances that include both resistive and reactance components. Basedon the desired operation of the DSC 28 when interacting with the battery1440, the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to select theappropriate impedance value within the configurable Z circuit 3510-3.For example, the configurable Z circuit 3510-3 includes a number ofdifferent impedances that may be selected to be connected in linebetween the DSC 28 in the battery 1440 (e.g., Z1, Z2, and so on up toZn, where n is some positive integer value).

In addition, note that an optional direct connection may be selectedwithin the configurable Z circuit 3510-1 such as a connection having noimpedance (e.g., R=0). This may be selected by the one or moreprocessing modules 42 when not maximizing power transfer, performingcharacterization, etc.

FIG. 39 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 3900 of variousexamples of impedance (Zs) such as may be implemented within aconfigurable impedance (Z) circuit in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram shows a number of possible impedances that maybe included within a configurable Z circuit. An impedance Z1 includes asingle resistor such that the impedance is as follows: Z=R. An impedanceZ2 includes a single inductor such that the impedance is as follows:Z=jωL. An impedance Z3 includes a single capacitor such that theimpedance is as follows: Z=−j(1/ωC).

Note that when two impedances are in series with another, e.g., Z1 inseries with Z2, then totally equivalent impedance is the sum of the twoas follows: Ze=Z1+Z2.

However, when two impedances are in parallel with another, e.g., Z1 inparallel with Z2, then totally equivalent impedance is as follows:Ze=(Z1*Z2)/(Z1+Z2).

An impedance Z4 includes a resistor in series with an inductor such thatthe impedance is as follows: Z=R+jωL. An impedance Z5 includes aresistor in series with an capacitor such that the impedance is asfollows: Z=R−j1/ωC). An impedance Z6 includes an inductor in series witha capacitor such that the impedance is as follows: Z=jωL−j1/ωC).

An impedance Z7 includes an inductor in parallel with a capacitor suchthat the impedance is as follows: Z=R//jωL, where//indicates parallelconnectivity of the two components. An impedance Z8 includes a resistorin parallel with a capacitor such that the impedance is as follows:Z=R//(−j(1/ωC)), where//indicates parallel connectivity of the twocomponents. An impedance Z9 includes an inductor in parallel with acapacitor such that the impedance is as follows: Z=jωL//(−j(1/ωC)),where//indicates parallel connectivity of the two components.

Generally speaking, an impedance Z10 such as may be included within aconfigurable Z circuit may include any other combination of R, L, C inseries, parallel, etc. In addition, note that any one or more of theimpedances within a given configurable Z circuit may include variabilityor adjustability (e.g., a variable/tunable capacitor, a variable/tunableinductor, a variable/tunable resistor, etc.).

Note that one or more processing modules may be configured to select anappropriate impedance value within a configurable Z circuit that isimplemented in line between the DSC and the battery to facilitate thedesired operation of the various components. Examples of some desiredoperations may include maximizing power transfer of a signal providedfrom the DSC to the battery or minimizing reflection of the signalprovided from the DSC to the battery.

FIG. 40A is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a method4001 for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention. The method 4001 operates in step 4010 by determiningimpedance (Z_(battery)) of a battery.

The method 4001 also operates in step 4020 by selecting or setting anappropriate impedance (Z) value within a configurable Z circuit based onthe impedance (Z_(battery)) of the battery. Note that this selecting orsetting may be made based on various considerations. In some examples,the selecting or setting is to facilitate maximum power transfer. Inother examples, the selecting or setting is to facilitate for minimumreflection.

The method 4001 operates in step 4030 by providing a charge signal(e.g., from a DSC) to a terminal of the battery via the configurable Zcircuit.

FIG. 40B is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a method4002 for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention. The method 4002 operates in step 4011 by determiningimpedance (Z_(battery)) of a battery.

The method 4002 also operates in step 4021 by selecting or setting anappropriate Z value within a configurable Z circuit based on theimpedance (Z_(battery)) of the battery. Here as well, that thisselecting or setting may be made based on various considerations. Insome examples, the selecting or setting is to facilitate maximum powertransfer. In other examples, the selecting or setting is to facilitatefor minimum reflection.

The method 4002 operates in step 4031 by providing a charge (ormonitoring) signal (e.g., from a DSC) to a terminal of a battery via asingle line and simultaneously sensing the charge (or monitoring) signalvia the single line (e.g., including detection of an electricalcharacteristic of the battery that is based on a response of the batteryto the charge (or monitoring) signal).

The method 4002 also operates in step 4041 by generating a digitalsignal representative of the electrical characteristic of the batterythat is based on the response of the battery to the charge (ormonitoring) signal. The method 4002 operates in step 4051 by processingthe digital signal representative of the electrical characteristic ofthe battery that is based on the response of the battery to the charge(or monitoring) signal to determine the electrical characteristic of thebattery.

FIG. 40C is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a method4003 for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention. The method 4003 operates in step 4012 by determiningimpedance (Z_(battery)) of a battery.

The method 4003 also operates in step 4022 by selecting or setting anappropriate Z value within a configurable Z circuit based on theimpedance (Z_(battery)) of the battery. Here as well, that thisselecting or setting may be made based on various considerations (e.g.,for maximum power transfer, for minimum reflection, etc.).

The method 4003 operates in step 4032 by providing a charge (ormonitoring) signal (e.g., from a DSC) to a terminal of a battery via asingle line. In some alternative variants of the method 4003, the method4003 also operates by simultaneously sensing the charge (or monitoring)signal via the single line, generating a digital signal, processing thedigital signal, etc. such as in accordance with the steps 4031, 4041,and 4051 of method 4002 of FIG. 40B.

The method 4003 also operates in step 4042 by monitoring for change ofimpedance (Z_(battery)) of battery. Such monitoring may be performedbased on monitoring for a certain percentage change of the change ofimpedance (Z_(battery)) of battery (e.g., 1%, 2%, 5%, etc. or some otherdesired value in accordance with a particular application). Suchmonitoring may be performed based on monitoring of a change that affectsor adversely affects the operation of providing a charge (or monitoring)signal (e.g., from a DSC) to a terminal of a battery via a single line.

Based on no detection of change of the impedance (Z_(battery)) of thebattery in the step 4052, the method 4003 loops back to the step 4032.Alternatively, based on detection of change of impedance (Z_(battery))of the battery in the step 4052, the method 4003 loops back to the step4012 for determining impedance (Z_(battery)) of the battery (e.g., anupdated impedance value (Z_(battery)) of the battery and continuesoperation based thereon.

Alternatively, based on no detection of change of the impedance(Z_(battery)) of the battery in the step 4052, the method 4003 ends.

FIG. 41 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 4100 of a leadacid battery such as may be serviced using a DSC in accordance with thepresent invention. Generally speaking, a lead acid battery 4110 includesa number of cells each having approximately a similar voltage per cell(e.g., often times cited as approximately 2.1 V per cell and including 6respective cells providing a nominal voltage of 12.6 V). In someapplications, 2 separate 6 V batteries are implemented within a givenbattery casing in series with one another to generate an output voltageof approximately 12 V. A nominal 6 V battery may be implemented usingthree separate single cells each of approximate 2.1 V per cell therebyproviding an output voltage of approximately 6.3 V.

Each cell includes a respective negative plate (e.g., such as may beimplemented using sponge lead, etc.) and a positive plate (e.g., leaddioxide, etc.). The lead acid battery 4110 also includes a negativeterminal 4112 (e.g., anode) that is connected to a negative plate and apositive terminal 4114 (e.g., cathode) that is connected to a positiveplate. Within each cell, the negative plate and the positive plate areseparated by a separator or insulator. The respective cells are immersedwithin an electrolyte (e.g., often implemented using water and sulfuricacid).

During a charging cycle, or recharging process, battery charger isconnected to the positive terminal 4114 and the negative terminal 4112.During this process, as electricity flows through the water portion ofthe electrolyte, some of the water is converted to its basic elements ofhydrogen and oxygen thereby producing gas within the casing of the leadacid battery 4110. Gassing of a battery can be problematic for a numberof reasons including the fact that these gases are extremely flammable.In addition, the gassing can reduce the amount of water content of theelectrolyte and dry out the battery. Some types of lead acid batteriesoperate such that they are vented to allow these gases to escape, butsealed lead acid batteries do not perform any such bending and keep suchgases trapped within the battery casing. Ideally and preferably, whenthe such gases are trapped within the battery casing, they willrecombine into the electrolyte are at however, there can be someinstances in which this does not occur such as based on the batterybeing overcharged, based on the battery including an internal electricalfailure of fault, based on an electrical failure or fault within one ormore of the cells, based on corrosion within the battery or on therespective battery terminals, based on buildup of lead sulfate oncertain plates of the battery, etc. among other possible adverseconditions that can adversely affect the health of a lead acid battery4110.

With respect to the seriousness of the gases produced within a lead acidbattery 4110 in these circumstances, note that oxygen and hydrogen arehighly flammable and can even be explosive in certain situations. Forexample, while hydrogen is not particularly toxic, at highconcentrations it is a highly explosive gas having a lower explosivelimit (LEL) concentration of approximately 4% by volume. Not only doesthe buildup of gas within a lead acid battery 4110 can adversely affectthe operation of the lead acid battery 4110 (e.g., adversely affectingthe electrolyte, drying out the battery by reducing the amount of waterwithin the electrolyte, etc.), but the buildup of such gases can be apotentially dangerous situation.

Gas buildup within the battery casing can generate pressure on thebattery casing. For example, this can cause the surface of the batteryto swell, bulge, deform, etc. Based on the excess of gas buildup inside.In addition, some non-sealed lead acid batteries include one or moreports via which one or more of the respective cells may be accessed suchas to check electrolyte levels, add electrolyte, add water, etc. In suchnon-sealed lead acid batteries, excessive gas buildup within the batterycasing will sometimes affect such ports before affecting other portionsof the battery casing in terms of swelling, bulging, deformation, etc.

FIG. 42 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 4200 of aLithium-ion battery such as may be serviced using a DSC in accordancewith the present invention. Another type of battery is a Lithium-ionbattery 4230, sometimes referred to as a Li-ion battery. Lithium-ionbatteries are used in a variety of applications including portable anduser devices such as laptop computers, cell phones, electronic paddevices, personal digital assistants, portable music devices, portablemedia players, etc. In addition, Lithium-ion batteries have found agreat deal of acceptance and traction within electric vehicleapplications. For example, Lithium-ion batteries are used in manyplug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles. With respect to an electricvehicle applications, some electric vehicles are powered by what areoften referred to as wet Lithium ion batteries that use a liquidelectrolytes. There has been significant interest in research efforts todevelop Lithium-ion batteries that are implemented in solid-state suchthat they have cells that are made of solid and dry conductive material.Lithium-ion batteries have application to a wide variety of applicationsincluding power tools, electronics, electric vehicles, etc. among otherpossible applications.

Generally speaking, a Lithium-ion battery 4230 includes one or morecells each having approximately a similar voltage per cell (e.g., oftentimes cited as approximately 3.6 to 3.7 V per cell). Considering onepossible example, a Lithium-ion battery 4230 including 3-4 cells eachhaving a nominal approximate voltage of 3.6 to 3.7 V per cell will beable to provide an output voltage within the range of 10.8-14.8 V.

This diagram shows a Lithium-ion battery 4230 that includes a positivecurrent collector, such as made of aluminum, that is connected to apositive terminal/electrode 4214 (e.g., cathode). The positiveterminal/electrode 4214 may be constructed of various materials such asLithium metal oxide, Lithium cobalt oxide, Lithium manganese oxide,Lithium iron phosphate, Lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), Lithiumnickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), etc., among other possible candidatematerials. The Lithium ion battery 4230 also includes an negativecurrent collector, such as made of copper, that is connected to anegative terminal/electrode 4212 (e.g., anode). The negativeterminal/electrode 4212 may be constructed of various materials such ascarbon, graphite, etc., among other possible candidate materials.

In addition, and electrolyte facilitates the transportation ofLithium-ion charge between the positive terminal/electrode 4214 in thenegative terminal/electrode 4212. The electrolyte may be implemented asa variety of materials such as a Lithium salt in an organic solvent, anon-aqueducts material, etc., among other possible candidate materials.Often times a separator or insulator is implemented within theelectrolyte. Such a separator or insulator may be constructed of variousmaterials such as micro perforated plastic, among other possiblecandidate materials. Generally speaking, the separator or insulatoroperates to keep the positive terminal/electrode 4214 in the negativeterminal/electrode 4212 separated while still facilitating thetransportation of lithium ions between the positive terminal/electrode4214 and the negative terminal/electrode 4212.

During the charging operation of the Lithium-ion battery 4230, Lithiumions are transported from the positive terminal/electrode 4214 to thenegative terminal/electrode 4212. During discharge (e.g., such as duringload servicing) of the Lithium-ion battery 4230, Lithium ions aretransported in the opposite direction from the negativeterminal/electrode 4212 to the positive terminal/electrode 4214.

Similar to the gas buildup situation that can occur within lead acidbatteries, similar gassing problems may unfortunately occur withinlithium ion batteries. For example, in some instances, Lithium-ionbatteries have the ability to burst into flames. Generally speaking, thesame problems of buildup of flammable or explosive gas that mayunfortunately occur within lead acid batteries may unfortunately occurwithin Lithium-ion batteries and generally batteries of many or mosttypes. Given the prevalence of Lithium-ion batteries in so manyapplications, even a very percentage of failure can be catastrophic incertain situations. For example, consider the number of products carriedby passengers on commercial aircraft that include one or more lithiumion batteries. Even a very small percentage of failure of such batteriesthat may lead to a potentially hazardous condition or unfortunately afailure such as flaming, bursting into flames, exploding can becatastrophic.

Some examples of the types of gases that may unfortunately build upwithin a lithium ion battery may include any one or more of hydrogen,carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, olefins, alkanes, etc., among othertypes of gases. Such gases may unfortunately be formed during charging,especially during overcharging, by a fault in the battery, cell failure,separator breakdown, overheating, over-use, abuse conditions, etc.

Within Lithium-ion batteries, similar to lead acid batteries, gasbuildup within the battery casing can generate pressure on the batterycasing. For example, this can cause the surface of the battery to swell,bulge, deform, etc. Various aspects, embodiments, and/or examples of theinvention (and/or their equivalents) described herein provide variousmeans to facilitate improvement of the operation of the battery,monitoring of the battery, determining the health of the battery, etc.including avoiding one or more unsafe conditions that may unfortunatelyoccur with a battery such as flaming, bursting into flames, exploding,etc.

FIG. 43 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 4300 of integratedelectrodes within a battery casing for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention. This diagramshows multiple electrodes (e.g., electrode 1, 2, up to n, where n is anydesired positive integer greater than or equal to 2) that are integratedinto the battery casing 4310. For example, considering a lead acidbattery, the electrodes are integrated into the battery casing 4310during its construction. The electrodes are implemented in such a way asnot to interfere with the operation of the battery. For example,electrodes are implemented in the battery casing 4310 such that they areelectrically isolated from the operative and functional components ofthe lead acid battery such as the terminals, the plates of therespective cells, the electrolyte, etc. The electrodes are particularlyimplemented within one or more portions or regions of the battery casing4310 having at least one surface that would be affected by expansion orcontraction of the surface of battery (e.g., such as in the instance ofundesirable gas building up within the lead acid battery). In someparticular applications, electrodes are integrated into those portionsof the battery casing 4310 are potentially most susceptible to expansionor contraction of the surface, such as with respect to one or more portsvia which one or more of the respective cells may be accessed such as tocheck electrolyte levels, add electrolyte, add water, etc.

For another example, considering a Lithium-ion battery, the electrodesare integrated into the battery casing 4310 of such a Lithium-ionbattery. Lithium-ion batteries may be constructed in a variety of shapesincluding cylindrical, button or coin cells (e.g., such as may be usedwithin cordless telephones, medical devices, etc. and that may bestacked one on top of another to provide higher voltages, having sizesthat may be within the range of 10-20 mm in diameter and 50-80 mm inlength), prismatic (e.g., generally rectangular in shape and relativelythin, such as are often used in personal and portable devices such ascell phones, personal digital assistants, etc.), pouch, etc.

In the event when gas builds up within the battery, the battery casing4310 will experience some swelling, bulging, expansion, etc. Differenttypes of battery casing 4310 will exhibit different characteristics interms of expansion due to gas build up therein. For example, acylindrical cell provides very good mechanical stability and canwithstand higher internal pressures without deforming than a pouch cell(or a prismatic cell) based on being is constructed of and includingrelatively more flexible material than a cylindrical cell.

Considering one example of a prismatic cell (e.g., as including a 5 mmcell), based on due to gas buildup therein, the battery casing 4310 ofsuch a prismatic cell may expand to as much as 8-10 mm. Such as for anyof a number of reasons including having undergone a number ofcharge-discharge cycles (e.g., 500-700 charge-discharge cycles),overcharge, age, etc.

As can be seen at the bottom of the diagram, based on an effect causingan expansion of the battery casing 4310 itself, the distance between twoelectrodes will change (e.g., the distance between the electrodes willincrease due to swelling, expansion, bulging, of the battery casing4310. Conversely, when the condition has subsided and the battery casing4310 returns to its original shape, the distance between two electrodeswill decrease (e.g., back to the original distance by which theelectrodes were spaced).

For example, consider any of a variety of conditions that may result ingas build up within the battery (e.g., overcharge, fall, cell failure,heat exposure, overheating, etc.), Then expansion of the battery casing4310 will increase the distance between electrodes and thereby decreasethe capacitance between those electrodes. For example, consider twoconductive electrodes that are separated by some distance, then thecapacitance between the two electrodes varies inversely with respect tothe separation between the two electrodes.

Consider a capacitor with air as the dielectric between the twoelectrodes or plates, thenC=Q/V=ε _(o)(A/d)

where C is the capacitance in Farads, Q is the charge in Coulombs, and Vis the voltage in volts. The value Co is the permittivity of air (e.g.,8.84×10⁻¹² F/m), the dielectric material between the electrodes orplates of the capacitor in this instance, A is the area of theelectrodes or plates (e.g., in square meters), and d is the distance ofseparation between the two electrodes or plates in meters.

Consider alternatively capacitor with a solid material as the dielectricbetween the electrodes or platesC=Q/V=ε _(o)ε_(r)(A/d)

Where ε_(r) is the permittivity of the dielectric material between theelectrodes or plates.

Therefore, as the distance between the electrodes that are integratedwithin the battery casing 4310 increases, such as due to swelling,bulging, expansion, etc., then the capacitance between the electrodesdecreases. Conversely, as the distance between the electrodes within thebattery casing 4310 decreases, the capacitance between the electrodesincreases. Note that while many of the examples provided herein aredirected towards detecting change of capacitance between electrodes thatare implemented within the battery casing 4310, note that change ofimpedance between electrodes may also occur such that that change is notpurely capacitive in nature. A similar architecture and implementationas described herein will also build the detect generally any change ofimpedance between electrodes.

For example, consider the bottom of the diagram that the distancebetween two electrodes is x1, then based on an expansion of the batterycasing 4310, then the distance between those two electrodes willincrease to x2, which is greater than x1.

FIG. 44 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 4400 of integratedelectrodes within a battery casing for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the presentinvention. The top of the diagram shows a battery casing 4310 withmultiple electrodes implemented and integrated therein. At the bottom ofthe diagram, one or more processing modules 42 is coupled to respectiveDSCs 28 that are connected to the respective electrodes. Any of a numberof interfaces may be provided between the electrodes and the one or moreprocessing modules 42. For example, one implementation may include aconnector that is integrated into the battery casing 4310 havingmultiple contacts that each respectively connect to the electrodes suchthat connection to the connector facilitates connection of multiple DSCs28 to the multiple respective electrodes. In another example, each ofthe respective DSCs 28 is connected to a respective one of theelectrodes directly. Any of a variety of means may be incremented tofacilitate the connection between the DSCs 28 and the electrodesintegrated within the battery casing 4310.

Note that the one or more processing modules 42 may include integratedmemory and/or be coupled to other memory. At least some of the memorystores operational instructions to be executed by the one or moreprocessing modules 42. In addition, note that the one or more processingmodules 42 may interface with one or more other devices, components,elements, etc. via one or more communication links, networks,communication pathways, channels, etc.

In an example of operation and implementation, the one or moreprocessing modules 42 is configured to provide respective referencesignals to the DSCs 28 to facilitate their respective driving andsensing of signals via the respective electrodes. For example, a firstDSC 28 is configured to receive a first reference signal from the one ormore processing modules 42 and is configured to generate a first signalthat is transmitted via a first electrode (electrode 1) andsimultaneously to sense that signal via the first electrode. A secondDSC 28 is configured to receive a second reference signal from the oneor more processing modules 42 and is configured to generate a secondsignal that is transmitted via a second electrode (electrode 2) andsimultaneously to sense that signal via the second electrode.

In some examples, signals having common characteristics are providedfrom each of the respective DSCs 28 to the respective electrodes. Forexample, each of the respective signals may have common characteristicssuch as the same frequency, same amplitude, same waveform, etc. amongother signal properties and characteristics. Alternatively, in otherexamples, the different respective signals are differentiated by one ormore properties and characteristics. For example, each respective signalprovided from the respective DSCs may be of different frequency,amplitude, DC offset, modulation, forward error correction (FEC)/errorchecking and correction (ECC) type, type, waveform shape, phase, etc.among other signal properties and characteristics by which signals maybe differentiated. In examples in which signals are differentiated, andbased on coupling of signals between electrodes via capacitive coupling,straightforward identification of which electrode and which electrodessignal is being coupled may be made based on the differentiation of thesignals. For example, a first DSC 28 that simultaneously transmits andsenses a first signal via electrode 1 may detect a second signal that iscoupled into electrode 1, and when that second signal is identified asbeing associated with electrode 2 (or another electrode), thendetermination may be made with respect to not only any change incapacitance between the electrodes 1 and 2, but also further granularitybased on specifically which signal is being coupled into electrode 1 maybe made.

In addition, in this diagram as well as others, note that one or moreDSCs 28 may be interactive with the one or more processing modules 42 toprovide one or more additional signals (e.g., shown as signal t1 throughtx) to one or more terminals of the battery (e.g., shown as terminal 1through terminal x). Note also that a similar configuration may beprovided to a ground terminal of the battery. For example, with respectto the signaling provided from one or more DSCs 28 that are interactivewith the one or more processing modules 42, signals provided via theelectrodes may be sensed via one or more terminals of battery, and viceversa. In an example of operation and implementation, with respect todetecting signals, the signal t1 that is provided to the terminal 1 maybe detected via coupling between the terminal 1 and one or more of theelectrodes 1-n. For example, considering the construction of varioustypes of batteries, providing a signal to a positive and/or negativeterminal of the battery can provide a signal coupled from one or moreinternal components of the battery associated with the positive and/ornegative terminal of the battery and the electrodes, and vice versa.This can provide another level of granularity in monitoring the healthof the battery including changes in capacitance between the electrodesand the one or more terminals of the battery and/or one or more internalcomponents of the battery associated with the one or more terminals ofthe battery.

For example, as distance between any two respective electrodes changes(e.g., such as based on gassing or gas build up within the batterythereby causing swelling, bulging, etc. of the battery casing 4310),then the capacitance between them will change. As the distance betweentwo electrodes increases, the capacitance between them decreases.Conversely, as the distance between two electrodes decreases, thecapacitance between them increases. Similarly, in accordance with suchdeleteriously effects (e.g., such as based on gassing or gas build upwithin the battery thereby causing swelling, bulging, etc. of thebattery casing 4310), then distance between one or more of theelectrodes implemented in the battery casing 4310 and the one or moreterminals of the battery and/or one or more internal components of thebattery associated with the one or more terminals of the battery willalso change. Conversely, as the distance between such componentsdecreases, the capacitance between them increases.

In an example of operation and implementation, one or more signals maybe provided, via one or more DSCs via one or more of the one or moreterminals of the battery and/or one or more electrodes in the batterycasing 4310, and detection of those one or more signals may be performedusing one or more of the DSCs 28 that service the one or more terminalsof the battery and/or one or more electrodes in the battery casing 4310.In one specific example, a singular signal is provided via one DSC 28 toone electrode (e.g., electrode 1), and then that one DSC 28 isconfigured to drive that signal and simultaneously detect/sense thatsignal while each of the other respective DSCs 28 are also configured todetect that signal as it is coupled from one electrode (e.g., electrode1) to the component being serviced by that DSC 28 (e.g., anotherelectrode, such as electrode 2, or a terminal of the battery, such asterminal 1). For example, consider a signal that is provided via one DSC28 to one electrode (e.g., electrode 1), then that one DSC 28 isconfigured to drive that signal and simultaneously detect/sense thatsignal while another DSC 28 also configured to detect that signal as itis coupled from that one electrode (e.g., electrode 1) to anotherelectrode (e.g., electrode 2) and/or even another DSC 28 also configuredto detect that signal as it is coupled from that one electrode (e.g.,electrode 1) to a terminal of the battery (e.g., terminal 1). Note alsothat such functionality may alternatively be performed such that asignal is provided via one DSC 28 to one terminal of the battery (e.g.,terminal 1), and then that one DSC 28 is configured to drive that signaland simultaneously detect/sense that signal while each of the otherrespective DSCs 28 are also configured to detect that signal as it iscoupled from that terminal of the battery (e.g., terminal 1) to thecomponent being serviced by that DSC 28 (e.g., an electrode, such aselectrode 1 or 2, or another terminal of the battery, such as terminalx).

In another example of operation and implementation of two adjacentlyimplemented electrodes, each of the DSCs 28 that are in communicationwith two adjacently implemented electrodes will be able to detect, viacapacitive coupling between them, changes of the capacitance caused bychange in the distance between those two electrodes.

For example, based on a change in the capacitance between electrodesbased on a change in the distance between the electrodes, the signaltransmitted via a given electrode will change in response to that changeof capacitance. In addition, having knowledge of the construction of theelectrodes within the battery casing and their arrangement and spacing,and having a baseline of the capacitance between the electrodes based onthat arrangement and spacing, then based on a change of capacitancebetween the electrodes, an estimation of a change of the distancebetween those electrodes may also be estimated.

One or more threshold may be used by the one or more processing modules42 to determine whether or not any detected change of capacitancebetween two electrodes based on expansion between them poses a problem.For example, a change of capacitance corresponding to a change ofdistance between two electrodes less than or equal to a threshold of 5%change based the original distance between the electrodes may bedetermined not to be a problem in some examples. In others, a thresholdof 10% change based on the original distance may be used. Generallyspeaking, any desired threshold may be used to make determination ofwhether or not change of distance between two electrodes is problematic.Note that different respective ranges may also be used. For example, anychange below a threshold of a first value (e.g., X %) may be determinednot to be problematic, while any change above that first value and lowerthan or equal to a second value (e.g., Y % of the original distance) maybe associated with a potential problem, while a change above the secondvalue may be associated with an actual problem.

Once a determination is made regarding a problem or a potential problem(e.g., such as associated with swelling, bulging, gas build up, etc.),the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to take one or moreactions. Consider an example that the battery is undergoing charging.Based on the battery undergoing charging, and based on the one or moreprocessing modules interpreting signals provided from at least some ofthe DSCs 28 to determine the existence of a problem with the batterybased on a change of capacitance the one or more processing modules 42is configured to cease charging of the battery based on detection of aproblem (e.g., such as associated with swelling, bulging, gas build up,etc.). For another example, when the battery is servicing one or moreloads and not undergoing charging, the one or more processing modules 42is configured to provide an error signal (e.g., such as via a userinterface, via a display or indicator of a device in which the batteryis implemented, etc.) such as to indicate to a user the existence of theproblem to facilitate the user taking action to remedy or mitigate theproblem.

For example, consider the one or more processing modules 42 alsoprocessing information regarding the ambient temperature of theenvironment in which a device in which the battery is implemented beingof a high-value (e.g., about 90° F.), of the pressure or humidity of theenvironment being such as to affect adversely the operation of thebattery or a device in which the battery is implemented (e.g.,relatively high humidity such as above 70%, very low pressure such as980 mbar, or approximately 29 inches of mercury such as corresponding toan adverse weather event such as a hurricane, etc.), then the one ormore processing modules 42 is configured to provide not only an errorsignal such as to indicate to a user the existence of the problem tofacilitate the user taking action to remedy or mitigate the problem butalso to provide information regarding the one or more other factors(e.g., environment being of a very high temperature). Based on this, auser may relocate the battery or a device in which the battery isimplemented to another appropriate environments (e.g., take the batteryor the device in which the battery is implemented into anair-conditioned building). Alternatively, the user may choose to powerdown the device given that the environmental conditions are unsuitablefor ineffective battery and/or device operation.

In another example, when the battery is servicing one or more loads andnot undergoing charging, the one or more processing modules 42 isconfigured to make or facilitate one or more operational changes toremedy or mitigate the problem (e.g., shut down one or more processes oroperations of a device in which the battery is implemented, operate oneor more processes or operations of the device in which the battery isimplemented in any lower power or power savings mode, etc.).

In addition, when the one or more processing modules 42 also processesother information such as described above regarding the environment inwhich the battery or a device that includes the battery is implemented,the one or more processing modules 42 may direct modification of one ormore environmental control systems (e.g., heating, ventilation, airconditioning (HVAC), etc.) to modify the environment in which thebattery or the device that includes a battery is implemented to bechanged. For example, consider that the temperature of the room in whichthe battery or the device that includes the battery is too high (e.g.,above some threshold temperature), then the one or more processingmodules 42 is configured to facilitate cooling of the room by turning onair conditioning within that realm to reestablish the room temperatureto be within an acceptable range for operation of the battery or thedevice includes the battery.

Generally speaking, the one or more processing modules 42 is configuredto facilitate one or more operations to modify the operation of thebattery in an effort to stop the production of gas inside of the battery(e.g., by taking action regarding one or more operations associated withproduction of gas, such as overcharging, etc.), to modify theenvironment in which the battery or a device includes a battery islocated, etc.

FIG. 45 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 4500 ofintegrated electrodes within a battery casing for use in batterymonitoring and characterization in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram is similar to FIG. 43 with at least onedifference being that electrodes are integrated into the battery casing4310 in more than one direction. For example, the electrode patternwithin the battery casing 4310 includes multiple row electrodes (e.g.,row electrode 1 through n, where n is some desired positive integergreater than or equal to 2) and multiple column electrodes (e.g., col.electrode 1 through m, where m is some desired positive integer greaterthan or equal to 2). Note that the row and column electrodes may beelectrically isolated from one another such that there is not directcontact between them.

As can be seen at the bottom of the diagram, based on a change ofdistance between two adjacent row electrodes and/or two adjacent columnelectrodes, such as based on swelling, bulging, gas build up, etc.within the battery, the distance between two adjacent row electrodesand/or two adjacent column electrodes, respectively, will increase,thereby changing the capacitance between the two adjacent row electrodesand/or two adjacent column electrodes. This diagram presents anotherpossible implementation by which electrodes may be implemented within abattery casing 4310. For example, at the bottom of the diagram, considerthe distance between two column electrodes to be x1 and the distancebetween two row electrodes to be y1, then based on an expansion of thebattery casing 4310, then the distance between two column electrodeswill increase to be x2, which is greater than x1, and/or the distancebetween two row electrodes will increase to be y2, which is greater thany1. The distance between two column electrodes and/or two row electrodeswill increase in such an example, the capacitance between the two columnelectrodes and/or two row electrodes will thereby decrease.

FIG. 46 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 4600 ofintegrated electrodes within a battery casing for use in batterymonitoring and characterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordancewith the present invention.

The top of the diagram shows a battery casing 4310 with multipleelectrodes implemented and integrated therein. this implementation andarchitecture is similar to that shown in FIG. 45 . At the bottom of thediagram, one or more processing modules 42 is coupled to respective DSCs28 that are connected to the respective electrodes. Similar to otherexamples herein, any of a number of interfaces may be provided betweenthe electrodes and the one or more processing modules 42 (e.g.,including those described above FIG. 44 above).

Note that the one or more processing modules 42 may include integratedmemory and/or be coupled to other memory. At least some of the memorystores operational instructions to be executed by the one or moreprocessing modules 42. In addition, note that the one or more processingmodules 42 may interface with one or more other devices, components,elements, etc. via one or more communication links, networks,communication pathways, channels, etc.

In an example of operation and implementation, the one or moreprocessing modules 42 is configured to provide respective referencesignals to the DSCs 28 to facilitate their respective driving andsensing of signals via the respective electrodes. For example, the DSCs28 may be viewed as being grouped into a first subset of DSCs 28implemented to service column electrodes and a second subset of DSCs 28implemented to service row electrodes.

A first DSC 28 (e.g., of the first subset of DSCs 28) is configured toreceive a first column reference signal from the one or more processingmodules 42 and is configured to generate a first column signal (e.g.,signal c1) that is transmitted via a first column electrode (col.electrode 1) and simultaneously to sense that first column signal (e.g.,signal c1) via the first column electrode. A second DSC 28 (e.g., of thefirst subset of DSCs 28) is configured to receive a second columnreference signal from the one or more processing modules 42 and isconfigured to generate a second column signal (e.g., signal c2) that istransmitted via a second column electrode (col. electrode 2) andsimultaneously to sense that second column signal (e.g., signal c2) viathe second column electrode. Such operations are similarly performed forany additional DSCs and column electrode (e.g., up to signal cnassociated with col. electrode n, where n is a positive integer).

Similarly, a third DSC 28 (e.g., of the second subset of DSCs 28) isconfigured to receive a first row reference signal from the one or moreprocessing modules 42 and is configured to generate a first row signal(e.g., signal r1) that is transmitted via a first row electrode (rowelectrode 1) and simultaneously to sense that first row signal (e.g.,signal r1) via the first row electrode. A fourth DSC 28 (e.g., of thesecond subset of DSCs 28) is configured to receive a second rowreference signal from the one or more processing modules 42 and isconfigured to generate a second row signal (e.g., signal r2) that istransmitted via a second row electrode (row electrode 2) andsimultaneously to sense that second row signal (e.g., signal r2) via thesecond row electrode. Such operations are similarly performed for anyadditional DSCs and row electrode (e.g., up to signal rm associated withrow electrode m, where m is a positive integer).

Similar with respect to other examples, in some examples, signals havingcommon characteristics are provided from each of the respective DSCs 28to the respective electrodes. For example, each of the respectivesignals may have common characteristics such as the same frequency, sameamplitude, same waveform, etc. among other signal properties andcharacteristics.

Alternatively, in other examples, the different respective signals aredifferentiated by one or more properties and characteristics. Forexample, each respective signal provided from the respective DSCs may beof different frequency, amplitude, DC offset, modulation, forward errorcorrection (FEC)/error checking and correction (ECC) type, type,waveform shape, phase, etc. among other signal properties andcharacteristics by which signals may be differentiated. In examples inwhich signals are differentiated, and based on coupling of signalsbetween electrodes via capacitive coupling, straightforwardidentification of which electrode and which electrodes signal is beingcoupled may be made based on the differentiation of the signals. Forexample, a first DSC 28 that simultaneously transmits and senses a firstsignal via column electrode 1 may detect a second signal that is coupledinto column electrode 1, and when that second signal is identified asbeing associated with column electrode 2 (or another electrode such asrow electrode 1, row electrode 2, etc.), then determination may be madewith respect to not only any change in capacitance between the columnelectrodes 1 and 2, but also further granularity based on specificallywhich signal is being coupled into column electrode 1 may be made.

As distance between any two respective electrodes changes in one or bothdirections (e.g., such as based on gassing or gas build up within thebattery thereby causing swelling, bulging, etc. of the battery casing4310), then the capacitance between them will change. As the distancebetween two electrodes increases in one or both, the capacitance betweenthem decreases. Conversely, as the distance between two electrodesdecreases in one or both, the capacitance between them increases.

Each of the DSCs 28 that are in communication with two adjacentlyimplemented column electrodes will be able to detect, via capacitivecoupling between them, changes of the capacitance caused by change inthe distance between those two column electrodes. For example, each ofthe DSCs 28 that are in communication with two adjacently implementedrow electrodes will be able to detect, via capacitive coupling betweenthem, changes of the capacitance caused by change in the distancebetween those two row electrodes

For example, based on a change in the capacitance between column (orrow) electrodes based on a change in the distance between theelectrodes, the signal transmitted via a given electrode will change inresponse to that change of capacitance. In addition, having knowledge ofthe construction of the electrodes within the battery casing in such arow and column implementation and their arrangement and spacing, andhaving a baseline of the capacitance between the column and rowelectrodes, respectively, based on that arrangement and spacing, thenbased on a change of capacitance between the column (or row) electrodes,an estimation of a change of the distance between those column (or row)electrodes may also be estimated.

Also, one or more threshold may be used by the one or more processingmodules 42 to determine whether or not any detected change ofcapacitance between two electrodes based on expansion between them posesa problem. For example, a change of capacitance corresponding to achange of distance between two column (and/or row) electrodes less thanor equal to a threshold of 5% change based the original distance betweenthe electrodes may be determined not to be a problem in some examples.In others, a threshold of 10% change based on the original distance maybe used. Generally speaking, any desired threshold may be used to makedetermination of whether or not change of distance between two column(and/or row) electrodes is problematic. Note that different respectiveranges may also be used. For example, any change below a threshold of afirst value (e.g., X %) may be determined not to be problematic, whileany change above that first value and lower than or equal to a secondvalue (e.g., Y % of the original distance) may be associated with apotential problem, while a change above the second value may beassociated with an actual problem.

Once a determination is made regarding a problem or a potential problem(e.g., such as associated with swelling, bulging, gas build up, etc.),the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to take one or moreactions including any of those described above such as based ondetermination of a problem with the battery during charging, ceasecharging of the battery; alternatively, based on determination of aproblem with the battery during non-charging, provide an error signal tofacilitate the user taking action to remedy or mitigate the problem;shut down one or more processes or operations of a device in which thebattery is implemented; etc.

FIG. 47 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 4700 ofintegrated electrodes within a battery casing for use in batterymonitoring and characterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordancewith the present invention. This diagram is similar to the prior diagramwith at least one difference being that one or more signals are coupledfrom one or more road electrodes to one or more column electrodes,and/or vice versa. For example, each of the respective DSCs 28 thatservice the row electrodes may be implemented to operate by providing afirst type of signal and a second type of signal simultaneously, andeach of the respective DSCs 28 the service the column electrodes may beimplemented operate by providing the first type of signal and detectingcoupling of at least one of the second types of signals from one or moreof the row electrodes.

In one particular implementation, each of the DSCs 28 that service rowand column electrodes provides a common type of signal (e.g., a similarsignal provided from each of the DSCs 28 to the respective row andcolumn electrodes that they service). In addition, the DSCs 28 thatservice the column electrodes also provide respective unique signals aswell via those column electrodes. For example, a first DSC 28 thatservices column electrode 1 also provides a first unique signal via thecolumn electrode 1 in addition to the common signal that it provides andthat other DSCs provide. Similarly, a second DSC 28 that services columnelectrode 2 also provides a second unique signal via the columnelectrode 1 in addition to the common signal that it provides and thatother DSCs provide. The unique signals provided from the differentrespective DSCs via the different respective column electrodes may thenbe detected by one or more of the DSCs 28 that service the respectiverow electrodes. This additional signaling and unique identification ofthe respective signaling provided via the various DSCs 28 that servicethe column electrodes may be used to provide additional furthergranularity based on specifically which signal is being coupled into therow electrodes.

In in alternative examples, note that the reverse operation mayalternatively be performed, or may also be performed, such that the DSCsthat service row electrodes may provide unique respective signals inaddition to the common signal that it provides that other DSCs provide.

Certain of the previous diagrams describe electrodes that are integratedinto and within a battery casing 4310. Note alternatively that a sheath4810 may be constructed as to include electrodes therein in a similarfashion. In certainties instances, a sheath 4810 is preferable tointegrating electrodes directly into a battery casing 4310. For example,a sheath 4810 that includes such electrodes may be mounted on at least aportion of a battery casing 4310 to allow for similar monitoring ofexpansion of the battery casing 4310. Note that such a sheath 4810 thatincludes electrodes integrated therein may be implemented using anydesired material. Generally speaking, the material include some form offlexible material that may be affixed to one or more elements of thebattery casing 4310. In some examples, all surfaces of the batterycasing 4310 have one or more sheaths 4810 affixed thereto. In otherexamples, at least one, but less than all, of the surfaces of thebattery casing 4310 have sheaths 4810 affixed thereto. In certaininstances, only one surface (or only one portion of one surface) of thebattery casing 4310 has a sheath 4810 affixed thereto.

The sheath 4810 may be affixed to the battery casing 4310 in any desiredmanner. Some examples include an adhesive, epoxy, a bonding agent, etc.In other examples, the sheath 4810 is affixed to the battery casing 4310via static electricity to clean to the desired portion(s) of the batterycasing 4310. For example, by providing a smooth physical interfacehaving high continuity between the sheath 4810 and the desiredportion(s) of the battery casing 4310, a static type connection may bemade to affix the sheath 4810 to the battery casing 4310. In general,any desired means by which the sheath 4810 is affixed to the batterycasing 4310 may be used. The type of affixing of the sheath 4810 to thebattery casing 4310 is provided in such a way as to ensure the abilityof the sheath 4810 to flex and move as the surface of the battery casing4310 also flexes and moves.

FIG. 48 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 4800 of a sheathincluding integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one or moresurfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring and characterizationin accordance with the present invention. This diagram has certainsimilarities with FIG. 43 above that includes electrodes integrated intoa battery casing 4310. In this diagram, the electrodes are integratedinto a sheath 4810 that is mounted on at least a portion of the batterycasing 4310. This diagram shows multiple electrodes (e.g., electrode 1,2, up to n, where n is any desired positive integer greater than orequal to 2) that are integrated into the sheath 4810 that is mounted onat least a portion of the battery casing 4310.

Therefore, as the distance between the electrodes that are integratedwithin the sheath 4810 that is mounted on at least a portion of thebattery casing 4310 increases, such as due to swelling, bulging,expansion, etc. of the battery, then the capacitance between theelectrodes decreases. Conversely, as the distance between the electrodesthat are integrated within the sheath 4810 that is mounted on at least aportion of the battery casing 4310 decreases, the capacitance betweenthe electrodes increases. Note that while certain examples providedherein are directed towards detecting change of capacitance betweenelectrodes that are integrated within the sheath 4810 that is mounted onat least a portion of the battery casing 4310, note that change ofimpedance between electrodes may also occur such that that change is notpurely capacitive in nature. A similar architecture and implementationas described herein will also build the detect generally any change ofimpedance between electrodes.

For example, consider the bottom of the diagram that the distancebetween two electrodes is x1, then based on an expansion of the sheath4810 that is mounted on at least a portion of the battery casing 4310,then the distance between those two electrodes will increase to x2,which is greater than x1.

FIG. 49 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 4900 of a sheathincluding integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one or moresurfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring and characterizationin conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the present invention. Thisdiagram has certain similarities with FIG. 44 above with at least onedifference being that this diagram shows multiple electrodes implementedand integrated within a sheath 4810 that is mounted on at least aportion of the battery casing 4310.

The one or more processing modules 42 may be implemented to operate in asimilar manner in cooperation with the one or more DSCs 28 as describedabove. For example, the respective DSCs 28 are configured to receiverespective reference signals from the one or processing modules 42, toperform simultaneous transmit and receive (e.g., drive and sense) viathe respective electrodes to which they are connected or coupled, thesignals may have common characteristics and/or unique identifyingcharacteristics, estimates of the change of distance between electrodesmay be made based on detected changes of capacitance (and/or generallyany type of impedance) of one or more of the electrodes, determinationof whether or not a problem exists based on desired decision-makingcriteria, one or more corrective actions may be performed based on adetermination of a problem (e.g., ceasing charging, providing an errorsignal, modifying environmental conditions, etc.).

FIG. 50 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 5000 of asheath including integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one ormore surfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention. This diagramhas certain similarities with FIG. 45 above that includes electrodesintegrated into a battery casing 4310 with at least one difference beingthat this diagram shows multiple electrodes implemented and integratedwithin a sheath 4810 that is mounted on at least a portion of thebattery casing 4310 instead.

In this diagram, the electrodes are integrated into a sheath 4810 thatis mounted on at least a portion of the battery casing 4310. Thisdiagram shows multiple row and column electrodes (e.g., columnelectrodes 1, 2, up to n, where n is any desired positive integergreater than or equal to 2 and row electrodes 1, 2, up to m, where m isany desired positive integer greater than or equal to 2) that areintegrated into the sheath 4810 that is mounted on at least a portion ofthe battery casing 4310.

As can be seen at the bottom of the diagram, based on a change ofdistance between two adjacent row electrodes and/or two adjacent columnelectrodes, such as based on swelling, bulging, gas build up, etc.within the battery, the distance between two adjacent row electrodesand/or two adjacent column electrodes, respectively, will increase,thereby changing the capacitance between the two adjacent row electrodesand/or two adjacent column electrodes. This diagram presents anotherpossible implementation by which electrodes may be implemented within asheath 4810 that is mounted on at least a portion of the battery casing4310. For example, at the bottom of the diagram, consider the distancebetween two column electrodes to be x1 and the distance between two rowelectrodes to be y1, then based on an expansion of the sheath 4810 thatis mounted on at least a portion of the battery casing 4310, then thedistance between two column electrodes will increase to be x2, which isgreater than x1, and/or the distance between two row electrodes willincrease to be y2, which is greater than y1. The distance between twocolumn electrodes and/or two row electrodes will increase in such anexample, the capacitance between the two column electrodes and/or tworow electrodes will thereby decrease.

FIG. 51 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 5100 of asheath including integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one ormore surfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram has certain similarities with FIG. 46 above thatincludes electrodes integrated into a battery casing 4310 with at leastone difference being that this diagram shows multiple electrodesimplemented and integrated within a sheath 4810 that is mounted on atleast a portion of the battery casing 4310 instead.

The one or more processing modules 42 may be implemented to operate in asimilar manner in cooperation with the one or more DSCs 28 as describedabove such as with respect to FIG. 46 that instead includes one or moreDSCs 28 respectively connected or coupled to row and column electrodesthat are integrated within a battery casing 4310.

For example, the respective DSCs 28 are configured to receive respectivereference signals from the one or processing modules 42, to performsimultaneous transmit and receive (e.g., drive and sense) via therespective row or column electrodes to which they are connected orcoupled, the signals may have common characteristics and/or uniqueidentifying characteristics, estimates of the change of distance betweenrow and/or column electrodes may be made based on detected changes ofcapacitance (and/or generally any type of impedance) of one or more ofthe electrodes, determination of whether or not a problem exists basedon desired decision-making criteria, one or more corrective actions maybe performed based on a determination of a problem (e.g., ceasingcharging, providing an error signal, modifying environmental conditions,etc.).

FIG. 52 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 5200 of asheath including integrated electrodes adapted for mounting to one ormore surfaces of a battery for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in conjunction with DSCs in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram has certain similarities with FIG. 47 above thatincludes electrodes integrated into a battery casing 4310 with at leastone difference being that this diagram shows multiple electrodesimplemented and integrated within a sheath 4810 that is mounted on atleast a portion of the battery casing 4310.

The one or more processing modules 42 may be implemented to operate in asimilar manner in cooperation with the one or more DSCs 28 as describedabove such as with respect to FIG. 46 that instead includes one or moreDSCs 28 respectively connected or coupled to row and column electrodesthat are integrated within a battery casing 4310.

For example, the respective DSCs 28 are configured to receive respectivereference signals from the one or processing modules 42, to performsimultaneous transmit and receive (e.g., drive and sense) via therespective electrodes to which they are connected or coupled, thesignals may have common characteristics and/or unique identifyingcharacteristics, estimates of the change of distance between electrodesmay be made based on detected changes of capacitance (and/or generallyany type of impedance) of one or more of the electrodes, determinationof whether or not a problem exists based on desired decision-makingcriteria, one or more corrective actions may be performed based on adetermination of a problem (e.g., ceasing charging, providing an errorsignal, modifying environmental conditions, etc.).

In addition, in some particular implementations, note that each of theDSCs 28 that service row and column electrodes provides a common type ofsignal (e.g., a similar signal provided from each of the DSCs 28 to therespective row and column electrodes that they service). In addition,the DSCs 28 that service the column electrodes also provide respectiveunique signals as well via those column electrodes. For example, a firstDSC 28 that services column electrode 1 also provides a first uniquesignal via the column electrode 1 in addition to the common signal thatit provides and that other DSCs provide. Similarly, a second DSC 28 thatservices column electrode 2 also provides a second unique signal via thecolumn electrode 1 in addition to the common signal that it provides andthat other DSCs provide. The unique signals provided from the differentrespective DSCs via the different respective column electrodes may thenbe detected by one or more of the DSCs 28 that service the respectiverow electrodes. This additional signaling and unique identification ofthe respective signaling provided via the various DSCs 28 that servicethe column electrodes may be used to provide additional furthergranularity based on specifically which signal is being coupled into therow electrodes.

In in alternative examples, note that the reverse operation mayalternatively be performed, or may also be performed, such that the DSCsthat service row electrodes may provide unique respective signals inaddition to the common signal that it provides that other DSCs provide.

FIG. 53 is a schematic block diagram showing various embodiments 5301,5302, 5303, 5304, 5305, 5306, 5307, 5308, 5309, 5310, 5311, and 5312 ofcross-sections of various embodiments of electrode patterns impedance(Zs) such as may be implemented within battery casings and/or sheathsfor use in battery monitoring and characterization in accordance withthe present invention.

Generally speaking, the various electrodes within a battery casing or asheath that may be affixed to a battery casing may be implemented in anydesired configuration. Reference 5301 corresponds to a pattern thatincludes uniformly spaced vertical electrodes. Reference numeral 5302corresponds to a pattern that includes uniformly spaced horizontalelectrodes. Generally speaking, note that the electrodes of suchpatterns may be aligned in any desired direction.

Reference numeral 5303 corresponds to a pattern that includesnon-uniformly spaced vertical electrodes. Reference numeral 5304corresponds to a pattern that includes non-uniformly spaced horizontalelectrodes. Note that the non-uniformity of spacing of the vertical orhorizontal electrodes may be based on any desired pattern, including arepetitive pattern, a random pattern, etc.

Reference numeral 5305 corresponds to a pattern that includes uniformlyspaced slanted electrodes. For example, consider a lead acid batteryhaving a particular shape such that each of the sides thereof (e.g., a 6sided lead acid battery) may generally be described as being square orrectangle, and the slanted electrodes of this pattern may be viewed asextending from lower left to upper right of one of the rectangular orsquare surfaces of the battery, or alternatively from lower right toupper left of one of the rectangular or square surfaces of the battery.Considering other types of batteries, such as prismatic, pouch, etc., Asmay be implemented using Lithium-ion technology, consider that suchslanted electrodes may be implemented. In some examples, it may bedesirable to operate based on an implementation in which the electrodesare not aligned parallel to or perpendicular to one of the edges of thebattery. Reference numeral 5306 corresponds to a pattern that includesnonuniformly spliced slanted electrodes.

Reference 5307 corresponds to a pattern that includes a uniformly spacedcheckerboard. Reference 5308 corresponds to a pattern that includesnon-uniformly spaced checkerboard. Note that the non-uniformity ofspacing of the vertical and horizontal electrodes within such anon-uniformly spaced checkerboard pattern may be based on any desiredpattern, including a repetitive pattern, a random pattern, etc. Inaddition, note that a pattern including electrodes extending in variousdirections such as checkerboard may include electrical isolation betweenthe electrodes aligned in one direction and the electrodes aligned inanother direction. For example, considering a checkerboard pattern suchas these, the vertical and horizontal aligned electrodes may beelectrically isolated such that there is not direct electricalconnection between the vertical and horizontal aligned electrodes.

Reference 5309 corresponds to a pattern that includes curved verticalaligned electrodes. In this particular example, the electrodes are moreclosely aligned to one another near the middle of the pattern than atthe top or the bottom of the pattern.

Reference 5310 corresponds to a pattern that includes curved horizontalaligned electrodes. In this particular example, the electrodes are moreclosely aligned to one another near the middle of the pattern than atthe left or the right of the pattern.

Reference 5311 corresponds to a pattern that includes a curvedcheckerboard that includes both curved vertical aligned electrodes andcurved horizontal aligned electrodes. Note also that the curved verticalaligned electrodes and curved horizontal aligned electrodes may beelectrically isolated from one another such that such that there is notdirect electrical connection between the vertical aligned electrodes andcurved horizontal aligned electrodes.

Reference 5312 corresponds to a pattern that includes s-shaped verticalaligned electrodes. Note that an alternative pattern may alternativelyinclude s-shaped horizontal aligned electrodes.

Note that such examples of such patterns of electrodes that may beimplemented within a battery casing or a sheath that may be affixed toat least one portion of a battery casing are not exhaustive. Generallyspeaking, any desired pattern including two or more electrodes thereinthat are serviced by two or more respective DSCs may be used such thatone or more processing modules operating cooperatively with the two ormore respective DSCs may determine a change of distance between the twoor more electrodes based on a change of capacitance (or other type ofimpedance) between the electrodes. Again, note that any such respectivepattern of electrodes may be implemented within a battery casing, withinthe sheath that is configured to affix to at least one surface of abattery casing, etc.

FIG. 54 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 5400 of impedance(Z) profile monitoring of electrodes as may be implemented withinbattery casings and/or sheaths for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention. This thisdiagram shows monitoring of the impedance of a number of electrodes(e.g., shown as for electrodes in this diagram providing an impedance(Z) profile) at different respective times and identifying whether ornot a problem exists based on various considerations. Such electrodesmay include to some of the respective electrodes as may be implementedwithin a battery casing or sheath that is used to facilitate monitoringof the battery as described herein.

Examples of such considerations used to determine whether or not aproblem exists with battery may include any one or more of a trajectoryby which the Z profile is changing, a rate at which the Z profile ischanging (e.g., change of the Z profile as a function of time), whetheror not the Z profile compares favorably with the tolerable range,whether or not one or more of the impedances of the respectiveelectrodes included within the Z profile compare favorably the tolerablerange, etc.

On the left-hand side of the diagram, at or during time 1, a Z profile 1corresponds to the respective impedances of the electrodes beingmonitored at or during time 1. For example, considering uniformly spacedelectrodes, the impedance of the respective electrodes may be the sameor approximately or substantially the same (e.g., the same value, orwithin a certain percentage of being same as one another, such as within1%, 2%, 5%, or some other value). In some examples, a baseline Z profileis determined based on the initial impedances of the electrodes includedwithin the Z profile. Such initial impedance may correspond to a mode ofoperation in which no adverse effects of the battery exists (e.g., nogassing, no expansion of the battery casing surface, no expansion of asheath affixed to at least a portion of the battery casing, noovercharging of the battery, etc.).

Then, monitoring of one or more characteristics associated with the Zprofile is performed. In addition, note that a tolerable range for oneor more, or all, of the respective impedances of the electrodes includedwithin the Z profile may be defined, and when all, or some acceptablenumber, of the electrodes included within the Z profile have impedancevalues within this tolerable range, then no problem is determined toexist. For example, consider a tolerable range extending from a certainpercentage greater and less than certain percentage less than thebaseline/initial impedances of electrodes included within the Z profile.In one example, consider an upper limit of the tolerable range to be X %greater than the baseline/initial impedances of electrodes includedwithin the Z profile and a lower limit of the tolerable range to be Y %less than the baseline/initial impedances of electrodes included withinthe Z profile. Consider an example in which consider an upper limit ofthe tolerable range to be 5% greater than the baseline/initialimpedances of electrodes included within the Z profile and a lower limitof the tolerable range to be 8% less than the baseline/initialimpedances of electrodes included within the Z profile, then thetolerable range would extend from 0.92 to 1.05 of the baseline/initialimpedances of electrodes included within the Z profile. Consider anexample in which consider an upper limit of the tolerable range to be10% greater than the baseline/initial impedances of electrodes includedwithin the Z profile and a lower limit of the tolerable range to be 10%less than the baseline/initial impedances of electrodes included withinthe Z profile, then the tolerable range would extend from 0.9 to 1.1 ofthe baseline/initial impedances of electrodes included within the Zprofile. Other values may alternatively be identified for upper andlower limits of the tolerable range in other examples andimplementations based on any number of considerations. Examples of suchconsiderations may be historical or past upper and lower valuesassociated with safe or acceptable operation of the battery withoutpresenting any problem, manufacturer provided data associated withexpected expansion or contraction of battery casing during normaloperation, etc.

In an example of operation and implementation, one or more processingmodules is configured to keep track of and monitor the Z profile as afunction of time. In addition, the one or more processing modules may beimplemented to consider one or more other operational conditionsassociated with a battery or a device in which the batteries implementedduring the tracking and monitoring of the Z profile as a function oftime. For example, one or more processing modules may also beimplemented to monitor the operational status of the battery considerduring the tracking and monitoring of the Z profile (e.g., such aswhether the battery is undergoing charging, discharging, load servicing,standby, etc.). In other examples, the one or more processing modulesmay also be implemented to monitor one or more environmental conditionsof an environment in which the battery or a device in which the batteryis implemented during the tracking and monitoring of the Z profile(e.g., such as the temperature, pressure, humidity, etc. of theenvironment in which the battery or a device in which the battery isimplemented).

Moving to the right in the diagram, consider an example at or duringtime 2 at which the Z profile has modified (e.g., consider Z profile 2at or during time 2 in comparison to Z profile 1 at or during time 1),then a Z profile change a (delta a) may be viewed as a differencebetween the Z profile 2 at or during time 2 in comparison to Z profile 1at or during time 1. For example, consider a situation in which thedistance between electrodes is increasing (e.g., such as in response togassing within the battery), then a reduction in impedance (e.g.,capacitance) of the respective electrodes may be seen. This may beindicative of the electrodes spreading apart (e.g., because of gassing).Considering the Z profile 2 at or during time 2, although the respectiveimpedances of the electrodes included within the Z profile are includedwithin the tolerable range at or during time 2, note that they aremoving in the direction that, if continued, will be approaching thelower limit of the tolerable range and possibly expand outside of thetolerable range. This may be indicative of possible problems such as gasbuildup/expansion in the battery.

This process of monitoring may be continued, such as at or duringdifferent respective times. On the right hand side of the diagram,consider an example at or during some other time, time n, at which the Zprofile has modified even further from a prior time (e.g., consider Zprofile n at or during time n in comparison to Z profile 1 at or duringtime 1 or in comparison to Z profile 2 at or during time 2), then a Zprofile change b (delta b) may be viewed as a difference between the Zprofile 2 at or during time 2 or the Z profile 1 at or during time 1.With respect to the example of this diagram, know that each of therespective impedances of the electrodes included within the Z profileare outside of the tolerable range at or during time n. This may beindicative of an actual problems such as gas buildup/expansion in thebattery. Based on the determination of the existence of a problem basedon the respective impedances of the electrodes included within the Zprofile being outside of the tolerable range at or during time n, anyone or more appropriate actions may be taken including those describedelsewhere. For example, based on the detection of such a problem,charging may be ceased when the battery is undergoing charging, an errorsignal may be provided to indicate to a user the existence of theproblem to facilitate action to remedy or mitigate the problem, a changeof environmental condition may be made, one or more processes oroperations of a device in which the battery is implemented may bestopped or modified such as into a lower power or power savings mode,etc.).

Generally speaking, such Z profile monitoring (e.g., based on theimpedance (Z) (e.g., capacitance) of the respective electrodes includedwithin the Z profile and be monitored to determine any changes as afunction of time. Any one or more determinations may be made based onthe rate of change, the trajectory of change, the direction of change,etc. of the Z profile and/or one or more individual impedances ofelectrodes within the Z profile to facilitate the determination of thestatus, health, operational condition, etc. of the battery and/or adevice in which the battery is implemented. Examples of suchdeterminations may include one or more of identifying failing chargingconditions, overcharging, end-of-life of the battery, gas buildup, etc.Note that such determinations may also be made based on comparison ofone or more characteristics associated with the Z profile in comparisonto variation from expected/historical performance of the battery and/ora device in which the battery is implemented.

FIG. 55 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 5500 of impedance(Z) monitoring of a singular electrode as may be implemented withinbattery casings and/or sheaths for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization and characterization in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram has some similarities to the previous telegramwith at least one difference being that this diagram corresponds tomonitoring the impedance of a single electrode. This diagram shows anexample of tracking and monitoring the impedance of electrode 1.

At or during a time 1, the impedance of electrode 1 is shown as beingcentered within a tolerable range. This impedance may be a baselineimpedance of electrode 1 (e.g., an initial impedance such ascorresponding to a mode of operation in which no adverse effects of thebattery exists (e.g., no gassing, no expansion of the battery casingsurface, no expansion of a sheath affixed to at least a portion of thebattery casing, no overcharging of the battery, etc.).

At or during a time 2, the impedance of electrode 1 is shown as stillbeing centered within the tolerable range, but with a slightly decreasedimpedance (e.g., capacitance), decreased by an amount D1 being thedifference between the baseline impedance of electrode 1 at or during atime 1 and its impedance at or during time 2. This may correspond to anincrease of the distance between electrode 1 and at least one otherelectrode, such as may be associated with gassing within the battery. Atthis point, while there may be some gassing within the battery, it isstill within acceptable limits that facilitate proper operation of thebattery.

At or during a time 3, the impedance of electrode 1 is shown as stillbeing centered within the tolerable range, with very little if anyimpedance change from its impedance at or during time 2.

At or during a time 4, the impedance of electrode 1 is shown as alsobeing centered within the tolerable range, and with a slightly increasedimpedance (e.g., capacitance), increased by an amount D2 being similarto the difference D1 such that the impedance of the electrode 1 hasreturned to the baseline impedance of electrode 1. This may correspondto an decrease of the distance between electrode 1 and at least oneother electrode, such as may be associated with gassing being absorbedback into the electrolyte within the battery (e.g., such as apotentially problematic condition subsiding).

At or during a times 5 and 6, the impedance of electrode 1 is shown asbeing within the tolerable range, or at the bottom end of the tolerablerange, with a relatively steep trajectory or fast rate of change. Thisapproaching the limit of the tolerable range, even though remaining inthe tolerable range, may indicate a problem with the battery. This mayindicate a problem during the charging cycle, operation, load servicing,etc. One or more actions may be taken by the system, such as directed byone or more processing modules. Examples of such actions may include oneor more of monitoring the battery with closer scrutiny (e.g.,determining the impedance of electrode 1 at different respective timesthat are separated by smaller time intervals than previously performed,adapting the monitoring schedule, adapting the monitoring parameters,modifying operation of a device in which the battery is implemented,etc.).

At or during a time n, the impedance of electrode 1 is shown as beingoutside of the tolerable range, such as may be associated with gassingwithin the battery. At this point, a determination may be made thatthere is gassing within the battery, and it is outside of the acceptablelimits that facilitate proper operation of the battery.

Once a determination is made regarding a problem or a potential problem(e.g., such as associated with swelling, bulging, gas build up, etc.),one or more processing modules is configured to take one or more actionsincluding any of those described above such as based on determination ofa problem with the battery during charging, cease charging of thebattery; alternatively, based on determination of a problem with thebattery during non-charging, provide an error signal to facilitate theuser taking action to remedy or mitigate the problem; shut down one ormore processes or operations of a device in which the battery isimplemented; etc.

FIG. 56 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a method5600 for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention. The method 5600 operates in step 5610 by providing signals(e.g., via DSCs) to electrodes integrated within a sheath affixed to atleast a portion of a battery surface. In some alternative variants ofthe method 5600, the method 5600 alternatively operates by providingsignals (e.g., via DSCs) to electrodes integrated within a batterycasing. As described herein, different implementations may be made ofelectrodes being implemented within a sheath operative to be affixed toat least a portion of a battery surface and/or electrodes beingintegrated within a battery casing. In some examples, note thatdifferent sets of electrodes are included within both a sheath operativeto be affixed to at least a portion of a battery surface and electrodesintegrated within a battery casing of the battery. In other examples,only one of a sheath operative to be affixed to at least a portion of abattery surface or electrodes integrated within a battery casing of thebattery is implemented.

The method 5600 also operates in step 5620 by monitoring for impedancechange(s) of one or more of the electrodes. Such monitoring may beperformed based on monitoring for a certain percentage change of thechange of impedance of one or more of the electrodes (e.g., 1%, 2%, 5%,etc. or some other desired value in accordance with a particularapplication). Such monitoring may be performed based on monitoring of achange that affects or adversely affects the operation of the battery(e.g., such as based on a change associated with a distance change ofthe electrodes associated with gassing of the battery to at least acertain amount as to affect the battery operation adversely orunacceptably).

Based on no detection of impedance change(s) of the one or more of theelectrodes in the step 5630, the method 5600 loops back to the step5610. Alternatively, detection of impedance change(s) of the one or moreof the electrodes in the step 5630, the method 5600 operates in step5640 by processing impedance change(s) to determine distance change(s)between electrodes.

The method 5600 operates in step 5650 by determining whether distancechange(s) between electrodes compares favorably with one or morethresholds associated with proper operation of battery. For example,there may be some tolerance and amount of distance change(s) betweenelectrodes that are still within an acceptable or tolerable range forproper operation of the battery. One or more thresholds may be used tofacilitate determination of whether or not the amount of distancechange(s) between electrodes that are still within an acceptable ortolerable range for proper operation of the battery (e.g., first rangeassociated with acceptable or tolerable, second range associated withacceptable or tolerable but trending towards unacceptable orintolerable, third range associated with unacceptable or intolerable,etc.).

Based on a determination of favorable comparison such that distancechange(s) between electrodes are still within an acceptable or tolerablerange for proper operation of the battery in the step 5660, the methodends. Alternatively, based on a determination of favorable comparisonsuch that distance change(s) between electrodes are still within anacceptable or tolerable range for proper operation of the battery in thestep 5660, the method 5600 loops back to the step 5610.

Based on a determination of unfavorable comparison such that distancechange(s) between electrodes are still within an acceptable or tolerablerange for proper operation of the battery in the step 5660, the method5670 operates by executing or facilitating one or more operationalchanges to remedy or mitigate the problem associated with the battery.Such one or more operational changes may be any of those as describedherein (e.g., cease charging of the battery; alternatively, based ondetermination of a problem with the battery during non-charging, providean error signal to facilitate the user taking action to remedy ormitigate the problem; shut down one or more processes or operations of adevice in which the battery is implemented; etc., among others).

FIG. 57 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment 5700 of a DSCthat is interactive with a battery including showing a charge-dischargeloop, a charge curve, and a discharge curve in accordance with thepresent invention. At the top of this diagram is a similarimplementation shown elsewhere herein (e.g., such as with respect toFIG. 14 , FIG. 18 , etc.

At the bottom left of this diagram is an example of a charge anddischarge curves such as associated with the charging of a battery froma state of charge (SOC) of 0% to a full capacity of 100% and theassociated variation of voltage of the battery during those processes.The bottom middle and the bottom right show examples of curvesassociated with charging and discharging of a battery as a function oftime and the associated variation of voltage of the battery during thoseprocesses.

Generally speaking, the diagrams show an operating range between a lowervoltage of b V and an upper voltage of a V. Consider an example of aLithium-ion battery having an operating range between a lower voltage ofapproximately 2.2-2.5 V and an upper voltage of approximately 4.3 V(e.g., b V=approximately 4.3 V, and a V=approximately 2.2-2.5 V). Forexample, consider a Lithium-ion battery that is a 3200 mA hour energycell, then such a battery may be fully charged by driving a current of 1C (e.g., 3200 mA) for approximately one hour, or 60-70 minutes.Similarly, such a Lithium-ion battery having such a rated capacity willdischarge in approximately one hour, or 60-70 min., when providing acurrent of 1 C (e.g., 3200 mA).

On the bottom left of the diagram, both the charging and dischargingcurves as a function of state of charge percentage are shown. As can beseen, during the charging process, the voltage initially increasesrapidly as the state of charge percentage increases, then flattens, thengradually approaches the upper voltage limit as the state of chargepercentage approaches 100%. However, during the discharging process, thevoltage initially decreases rapidly as the state of charge percentagedecreases, then flattens, then gradually approaches the lower voltagelimit as the state of charge percentage approaches 0%. Note that thecharging and discharging curves of the battery do not track one anotherperfectly.

At the bottom of the diagram is a charging curve as a function of time.As a function of time, the charging curve demonstrates a similarbehavior to the charging curve that is as a function of time, in that,the voltage initially increases rapidly as a function of time at thebeginning of the charging process, then flattens, then graduallyapproaches the upper voltage limit as a function of time.

At the bottom right of the diagram is a discharging curve is a functionof time. Initially during discharging, the discharging curve shows thatthe voltage of the battery drops quickly from the upper voltage limit,then flattens, then as the capacity of the battery has been depleted andin no longer has the capacity to deliver the required current one ormore loads, the voltage of the battery drops very quickly towards thelower voltage limit.

Note that these diagrams generally describe the charging and dischargingcharacteristics of a battery. The particular trajectory of suchcharge-discharge loop as a function of state of charge percentage,charging curve as a function of time, and discharging curve is afunction of time, will of course vary based on the type of battery, thereading of the battery, the capacity of the battery, etc.

In some examples, note that the one or more processing modules 42 isconfigured to monitor and track the charging and discharging curve ofthe battery as a function of time. In addition, in some examples, theone or more processing modules 42 is also configured to monitor andtrack one or more other operational conditions associated with thebattery or a device in which the batteries implemented while monitoringand tracking the charging and discharging curve of the battery as afunction of time.

Consider an example in which a load is being serviced by the batteryover multiple charge and discharge cycles of the battery. In someexamples, the one or more processing modules 42 is configured to monitorand track one or more characteristics of the charging curve is afunction of time for the discharging curve as a function of time may beused to determine change in the status, operational condition, health,etc. of the battery. Consider an example in which, after a certainnumber of charge-discharge cycles, the battery no longer has the abilityto service the load, or the voltage of the battery drops very quicklywhen the battery is implemented to service the load. Within suchinstances in which the load is non-dynamic or static, then adetermination may be made regarding the status, operational condition,health, etc. of the battery such as impending failure of the battery,actual failure of the battery, loss of capacity of the battery, etc.

FIG. 58 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 5800 ofcharge-discharge loop and one or more indications of battery healthdegradation as may be used in accordance with battery monitoring andcharacterization and characterization in accordance with the presentinvention. This diagram shows how the charging and discharging curves asa function of state of charge (SOC) percentage will change based on achange in the status, operational condition, health, etc. of thebattery.

Generally speaking, the diagrams show an operating range between a lowervoltage of b V and an upper voltage of a V. For example, consider aLithium-ion battery having an operating range of 2.2-2.5 V=b V, thevoltage of full discharge (e.g., at which the battery is no longer fullyoperational and able to service one or more loads) to 4.3 V=a V, thevoltage at full rated charge. In addition, there may be a loweracceptable voltage at full charge, c V, at which the battery is stilloperational and able to function properly and service one or more loads.Note also that the voltage of the battery at full discharge may be lowerthan the lower end of the operating range, such as even being 0 V.However, some batteries do retain some residual non-zero voltage even ata very low state of charge (SOC).

As can be seen in comparison to a baseline charge curve in a baselinedischarge curve that formed the charge-discharge loop, as the batteryhealth is trending downward, there is a slower increase in voltage ofthe battery as a function of increasing state of charge (SOC).

Consider a charge curve of a degrading battery, as a battery ages anddegrades, its ability to build up and retain voltage degrades. Also,there may be instances in which the battery is unable to reach fullcharge, yet still reach the lower acceptable voltage at full charge, cV, at which the battery is still operational and able to functionproperly and service one or more loads.

Consider a discharge curve of a degrading battery, as a battery ages anddegrades, its ability to service one or more loads degradessignificantly as a function of state of charge (SOC). For example, forthe same state of charge, the voltage of a degrading battery is lessthan that of a healthy and fully operational battery.

FIG. 59 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 5900 ofcharge-discharge loop monitoring for use in battery monitoring andcharacterization in accordance with the present invention. By monitoringand tracking such information including the voltage level of the batteryas a function of state of charge (SOC) during one or both of the chargecurve or the discharge curve, determination may be made regarding thestatus, operational condition, health, etc. of the battery based onchanges thereof. For example, at or during different times during theoperational life of the battery, monitoring and tracking suchinformation provides an indication of the usefulness, effectiveness,remaining life, etc. of the battery.

For example, battery life prediction, including remaining battery lifeprediction, can be made based on identifying, monitoring, and tracking,etc. changes to such one or both of the charge curve or the dischargecurve during the operational life of the battery. For example, based ona trajectory of the change of one or both of the charge curve or thedischarge curve as a function of time and as the battery is in operationincluding servicing one or more loads, estimation can be made of whenthe battery will no longer be acceptably operational and able to serviceone or more loads.

This diagram shows, based on characterization of one or both of thecharge curve or the discharge curve of the battery, based on the batterycharge-discharge profile loop, how the respective curves change as thebattery degrades. On the left-hand side, at or during a time 1 (e.g.,Delta T1), a baseline battery charge-discharge profile loop showsvariation in voltage, lower value to an upper value. For example,consider the battery example described herein of an example of aLithium-ion battery having an operating range between a lower voltage ofapproximately 2.2-2.5 V and an upper voltage of approximately 4.3 V(e.g., b V=approximately 4.3 V, and a V=approximately 2.2-2.5 V).

Moving from left to right at different respective times at or duringwhich characterization of the battery charge-discharge profile loop ismade, it can be seen that the voltage level as a function of state ofcharge (SOC) percentage degrades. Generally, the batterycharge-discharge profile loop is sagging as a function of degradation ofthe battery. Some characteristics that may be identified correspond toone or more of a slower charge/festered discharge of the battery as itages, and inability of the battery to reach full voltage at a full ratedcharge, the inability to service one or more loads effectively at arated state of charge (SOC) percentage for the battery, etc.

FIG. 60 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 6000 of batterydischarge characteristics as may be used in accordance with batterymonitoring and characterization and characterization in accordance withthe present invention. This diagram uses a similar example as describedherein of a Lithium-ion battery having an operating range between alower voltage of approximately 2.2-2.5 V and an upper voltage ofapproximately 4.3 V (e.g., b V=approximately 4.3 V, and aV=approximately 2.2-2.5 V), a 3200 mA hour energy cell capable ofbecoming fully charged by driving a current of 1 C (e.g., 3200 mA) forapproximately one hour, or 60-70 minutes and fully discharge inapproximately the same amount of time when delivering that current.

Several different discharge capacity curves are shown when the batteryis providing different respective currents to one or more loads such aswhen servicing one or more loads, 0.2 C (0.2×3200 mA=640 mA), 0.5 C(0.2×3200 mA=1600 mA), 1 C (3200 mA), and 0.2 C (2×3200 mA=6400 mA). Ascan be seen in the diagram, as the current level of the current teamprovided from the battery increases, the discharge capacity, in milliamphours (mAh), consequently decreases.

In some examples, such battery discharge characteristics may beperformed at or during different times, and baseline battery dischargecharacteristics may be determined (e.g., such as when the battery isnew, healthy, and fully operational, etc.) to which reference can bemade subsequently to determine deviation from such baseline batterydischarge characteristics in an effort to determine a rate of change ofsuch characteristics and, based on a trajectory of such changes, anestimate of when the battery is expected to fail and no longer be ableto operate fully such as to service one or more loads.

FIG. 61 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 6100 of impedance(Z) monitoring of a battery at a given frequency for use in batterymonitoring and characterization and characterization in accordance withthe present invention. In this diagram, monitoring and tracking theimpedance of the battery itself may be used is yet anothercharacteristic by which a determination may be made regarding thestatus, operational condition, health, etc. of the battery includingbased on changes thereof.

Generally speaking, a battery with a relatively lower internal impedanceis operative to deliver a high current or a required current whenrequired. However, as the battery degrades, ages, etc., an increasedimpedance therein inhibits the battery's ability effectively to delivera high current or a required current on demand. In addition, as theimpedance of the battery increases, the battery may exhibit otherdeleterious effects such as heating up during operation, suffering fromrapid voltage drop, etc. and having an inability to service properly oneor more loads. When a battery has a relatively lower internal impedance,it is able to deliver the current required by one or more loads and ondemand while remaining relatively cool. However, as the internalimpedance of the battery increases, while it still may be able toservice the one or more loads, the current flow is restricted because ofthe increased impedance, there will be a decrease of the voltagedelivered to the one or more loads, and the battery will typically heatup during operation. Note that the temperature of a battery is yetanother characteristic that may be monitored and tracked to assist inmaking a determination regarding the status, operational condition,health, etc. of the battery including based on changes thereof.

Note the different types of batteries have different characteristics andabilities to deliver different levels of current on demand. Consider alead acid battery having a very low internal resistance. Such a leadacid battery will respond well and quickly when required to deliver highamounts of current (based on the capacity of the lead acid battery) forrelatively short periods of time. However, lead acid batteries aregenerally not able to provide high levels of current to service one ormore loads during long periods of time.

Alternatively, consider a Lithium-ion battery. Such a Lithium-ionbattery generally has a better ability to deliver a sustained and highamounts of current (based on the capacity of the Lithium-ion battery)for relatively longer periods of time.

As an example, consider a Lithium-ion 3.6 V battery having a capacity of320 mA hour such that it is capable of becoming fully charged by drivinga current of 1 C (e.g., 320 mA) for approximately one hour, or 60-70minutes and fully discharge in approximately the same amount of timewhen delivering that current, the internal impedance of such aLithium-ion battery will be in the range of hundreds of milli-Ohms (me)(e.g., in the vicinity of 320 mΩ) when new, healthy, fully operational,etc.

Consider an initial impedance of a battery, Z0, as being the internalimpedance of the battery when the battery is new, healthy, fullyoperational, etc. Over time, as shown in this diagram caressing fromleft to right, the battery impedance will generally rise over time for avariety of reasons including one or more of degradation of the battery,usage of the battery, an increasing number of charge-discharge cycles,exposure to certain environmental conditions that adversely affect thehealth of the battery such as heat, etc.

By monitoring the trend and trajectory of an increase in the impedanceof the battery, such as at or during different times, an estimate may bemade regarding when the battery will fail. For example, as the impedanceof the battery increases to some particular amount (e.g., an impedanceZf associated with battery failure) above which it no longer caneffectively provide current service one or more loads, then the batterymay be deemed as failed. By monitoring and tracking the trend and changeof the impedance of the battery, an estimate can be made regarding whenthis will happen. For example, in the diagram, increasing levels ofimpedances, shown in this diagram as to respective thresholds, Z1 andZ2, can provide indication of the battery heading to battery failure. Asan actual measured impedance of the battery is about one or both ofthese thresholds, and estimation of battery failure may be made. Also,extrapolation of a trend line of change of the impedance of the batteryas a function of time may be used to estimate the time to batteryfailure.

In an example of operation and implementation, consider the Lithium-ion3.6 V battery having a capacity of 320 mA hour described above. The opencircuit voltage, Voc, at the terminals of such a battery is 3.6 V, butwhen implemented to service one or more loads, there will be somevoltage drop internal to the battery based on the internal impedance ofthe battery, such that some voltage drop will occur across the internalimpedance of the battery, and the remainder across the one or more loadsthat the battery is servicing.

As a specific example, consider such a battery having an internalimpedance of approximately Rint=320 mΩ. Based on implementation of sucha battery to service a load having an impedance of 10Ω with a voltage ofat least 3.3 V=Vload, and assuming both the internal impedance of thebattery and the load are purely resistive in this example, then thecurrent required to be delivered in the battery.Voc=3.6 VVload=I×R=I×10, such that 3.3 V=I×20 S2, so I=165 mA or approx. 0.516 C

When the internal impedance of the battery increases to a point that itcan no longer provide an output voltage to the load of 3.3 V, such thatmore than a 0.3 V voltage drop exists internal to the battery, then thebattery may be deemed to have failed.

For example, consider that a current of 165 mA is being delivered fromthe battery, then when the internal impedance of the battery is greaterthan or equal toVint=I×Rint, such that 0.3 V=320 mA×Rint, so Rint=937.5 mΩ

As such, generally speaking, in such a specific example, when theinternal impedance of the battery increases from its baseline value of320 mΩ to approximately 937.5 mΩ, or increases by a factor ofapproximately 2.93 or 3, then the battery would no longer be able toservice the load in this specific example. In this instance, the batterywould no longer be acceptable for operational for this application.

FIG. 62 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment 6200 of impedance(Z) monitoring of a battery across a range of frequencies as may beimplemented within battery casings and/or sheaths for use in batterymonitoring and characterization in accordance with the presentinvention. As described herein, note that the impedance of battery maynot be purely resistive in nature, but may have reactance componentsassociated with one or more of a capacitive characteristics or aninductive characteristic, such as in accordance with the variousequivalent circuit models of the battery described herein.

This diagram shows monitoring and tracking of an impedance, Z, profilethe battery as a function of time while also considering the frequencydependence thereof. For example, on the left-hand side of the diagram, aZ profile 1 is shown including its variation as a function of frequency.At DC, the impedance of the battery may be viewed as being Rint, orpurely resistive having no reactance component thereof. In this example,the magnitude of the impedance of the battery is shown as increasing asa function of frequency. Generally speaking, inductive reactanceincreases as a function of increasing frequency, and capacitivereactance decreases as a function of increasing frequency.

Monitoring and tracking of the Z profile of the battery as a function offrequency at different respective times, such as at or during a time 2,and so on up to at or during a time n provide yet another mechanism bywhich the status, operational condition, health, etc. of the battery maybe determined including based on changes of the Z profile.

For example, any one or more of the impedance magnitude values within aZ profile, including specifically at any one or more of various desiredfrequencies (e.g., shown as f1, f2, f3, and f4 in this example, whichmay be any desired frequencies within any desired frequency range andbased on any desired frequency step between them), may be used toidentify the battery trending towards failure. For example, consider asthe impedance of the battery increases to some particular amount (e.g.,an impedance Zf associated with battery failure) above which it nolonger can effectively provide current service one or more loads, thenthe battery may be deemed as failed.

Based on monitoring and tracking of the impedance of the battery overtime, including its frequency variation in dependence thereof using theZ profiles as described herein, when the Z profile is outside of atolerable range that is deemed acceptable for proper performance of thebattery such as to service one or more loads, then a determination maybe made that the battery has failed. Even in situations when the Zprofile is within a tolerable range for acceptable operation, when thechange of the Z profile is trending towards failure, such as trendingtowards being outside of that tolerable range for acceptable operation,then an estimate may be made regarding when the battery may be expectedto fail. This may be performed based on the rate of change of the Zprofile as a function of time and extrapolating when the battery may beexpected to fail sometime in the future.

Note that any one or more of the various battery characteristics such asdescribed herein may be monitored and tracked may be used to makeestimate of the status, operational condition, health, etc. of abattery.

FIG. 63 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of a method6300 for execution by one or more devices in accordance with the presentinvention.

The method 6300 operates in step 6310 by determining an electricalcharacteristic of a battery. In some examples, this is performed basedon providing (e.g., from a DSC) a charge signal that includes an ACcomponent and a DC component to a terminal of a battery via a singleline and simultaneously sensing the charge signal via the single line,generating a digital signal, processing the digital signal, etc. inaccordance with any example, embodiment, implementation, etc. asdescribed herein. In other examples, this is performed based onproviding (e.g., from a DSC) a monitoring signal that includes an ACcomponent that includes an AC component to a terminal of a battery via asingle line and simultaneously sensing the charge monitoring signal viathe single line, generating a digital signal, processing the digitalsignal, etc. in accordance with any example, embodiment, implementation,etc. as described herein.

The method 6300 also operates in step 6320 by monitoring for change(s)of impedance (Z_(battery)) of battery. Based on detection of no changeof the impedance (Z_(battery)) of battery in step 6330, the method 6300loops back to the step 6320 or the step 6310.

Alternatively, based on detection of one or more changes of theimpedance (Z_(battery)) of battery in step 6330, the method 6300 alsooperates in step 6340 by processing change(s) of impedance (Z_(battery))of battery to determine whether trending towards battery failure. Notethat such monitoring, detection, and processing of such change(s) of theimpedance (Z_(battery)) of the battery may be performed at singlefrequency, based on a Z profile such as in accordance with more than onefrequency such as across a frequency range, etc. in accordance with anyexample, embodiment, implementation, etc. as described herein.

Based on a determination that the battery is not trending towardsfailure, the method 6300 loops back to the step 6320 or the step 6310.Alternatively, based on a determination that the battery is trendingtowards failure, the method 6300 operates in step 6360 by executing orfacilitating one or more operations based on determined trend towardsbattery failure. Various examples of such operations may include any oneor more of error notification, making of one or more operational changesto the battery or associated device/system, facilitating batteryreplacement, etc. and/or any other such operations in accordance withany example, embodiment, implementation, etc. as described herein.

It is noted that terminologies as may be used herein such as bit stream,stream, signal sequence, etc. (or their equivalents) have been usedinterchangeably to describe digital information whose contentcorresponds to any of a number of desired types (e.g., data, video,speech, text, graphics, audio, etc. any of which may generally bereferred to as ‘data’).

As may be used herein, the terms “substantially” and “approximately”provide an industry-accepted tolerance for its corresponding term and/orrelativity between items. For some industries, an industry-acceptedtolerance is less than one percent and, for other industries, theindustry-accepted tolerance is 10 percent or more. Other examples ofindustry-accepted tolerance range from less than one percent to fiftypercent. Industry-accepted tolerances correspond to, but are not limitedto, component values, integrated circuit process variations, temperaturevariations, rise and fall times, thermal noise, dimensions, signalingerrors, dropped packets, temperatures, pressures, material compositions,and/or performance metrics. Within an industry, tolerance variances ofaccepted tolerances may be more or less than a percentage level (e.g.,dimension tolerance of less than +/−1%). Some relativity between itemsmay range from a difference of less than a percentage level to a fewpercent. Other relativity between items may range from a difference of afew percent to magnitude of differences.

As may also be used herein, the term(s) “configured to”, “operablycoupled to”, “coupled to”, and/or “coupling” includes direct couplingbetween items and/or indirect coupling between items via an interveningitem (e.g., an item includes, but is not limited to, a component, anelement, a circuit, and/or a module) where, for an example of indirectcoupling, the intervening item does not modify the information of asignal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or powerlevel. As may further be used herein, inferred coupling (i.e., where oneelement is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct andindirect coupling between two items in the same manner as “coupled to”.

As may even further be used herein, the term “configured to”, “operableto”, “coupled to”, or “operably coupled to” indicates that an itemincludes one or more of power connections, input(s), output(s), etc., toperform, when activated, one or more its corresponding functions and mayfurther include inferred coupling to one or more other items. As maystill further be used herein, the term “associated with”, includesdirect and/or indirect coupling of separate items and/or one item beingembedded within another item.

As may be used herein, the term “compares favorably”, indicates that acomparison between two or more items, signals, etc., provides a desiredrelationship. For example, when the desired relationship is that signal1 has a greater magnitude than signal 2, a favorable comparison may beachieved when the magnitude of signal 1 is greater than that of signal 2or when the magnitude of signal 2 is less than that of signal 1. As maybe used herein, the term “compares unfavorably”, indicates that acomparison between two or more items, signals, etc., fails to providethe desired relationship.

As may be used herein, one or more claims may include, in a specificform of this generic form, the phrase “at least one of a, b, and c” orof this generic form “at least one of a, b, or c”, with more or lesselements than “a”, “b”, and “c”. In either phrasing, the phrases are tobe interpreted identically. In particular, “at least one of a, b, and c”is equivalent to “at least one of a, b, or c” and shall mean a, b,and/or c. As an example, it means: “a” only, “b” only, “c” only, “a” and“b”, “a” and “c”, “b” and “c”, and/or “a”, “b”, and “c”.

As may also be used herein, the terms “processing module”, “processingcircuit”, “processor”, “processing circuitry”, and/or “processing unit”may be a single processing device or a plurality of processing devices.Such a processing device may be a microprocessor, micro-controller,digital signal processor, microcomputer, central processing unit, fieldprogrammable gate array, programmable logic device, state machine, logiccircuitry, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or any device thatmanipulates signals (analog and/or digital) based on hard coding of thecircuitry and/or operational instructions. The processing module,module, processing circuit, processing circuitry, and/or processing unitmay be, or further include, memory and/or an integrated memory element,which may be a single memory device, a plurality of memory devices,and/or embedded circuitry of another processing module, module,processing circuit, processing circuitry, and/or processing unit. Such amemory device may be a read-only memory, random access memory, volatilememory, non-volatile memory, static memory, dynamic memory, flashmemory, cache memory, and/or any device that stores digital information.Note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,processing circuitry, and/or processing unit includes more than oneprocessing device, the processing devices may be centrally located(e.g., directly coupled together via a wired and/or wireless busstructure) or may be distributedly located (e.g., cloud computing viaindirect coupling via a local area network and/or a wide area network).Further note that if the processing module, module, processing circuit,processing circuitry and/or processing unit implements one or more ofits functions via a state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry,and/or logic circuitry, the memory and/or memory element storing thecorresponding operational instructions may be embedded within, orexternal to, the circuitry comprising the state machine, analogcircuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry. Still further notethat, the memory element may store, and the processing module, module,processing circuit, processing circuitry and/or processing unitexecutes, hard coded and/or operational instructions corresponding to atleast some of the steps and/or functions illustrated in one or more ofthe Figures. Such a memory device or memory element can be included inan article of manufacture.

One or more embodiments have been described above with the aid of methodsteps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claims. Further, the boundariesof these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined forconvenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined aslong as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed.Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily definedherein to illustrate certain significant functionality.

To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence couldhave been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significantfunctionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional buildingblocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scopeand spirit of the claims. One of average skill in the art will alsorecognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrativeblocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustratedor by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits,processors executing appropriate software and the like or anycombination thereof.

In addition, a flow diagram may include a “start” and/or “continue”indication. The “start” and “continue” indications reflect that thesteps presented can optionally be incorporated in or otherwise used inconjunction with one or more other routines. In addition, a flow diagrammay include an “end” and/or “continue” indication. The “end” and/or“continue” indications reflect that the steps presented can end asdescribed and shown or optionally be incorporated in or otherwise usedin conjunction with one or more other routines. In this context, “start”indicates the beginning of the first step presented and may be precededby other activities not specifically shown. Further, the “continue”indication reflects that the steps presented may be performed multipletimes and/or may be succeeded by other activities not specificallyshown. Further, while a flow diagram indicates a particular ordering ofsteps, other orderings are likewise possible provided that theprinciples of causality are maintained.

The one or more embodiments are used herein to illustrate one or moreaspects, one or more features, one or more concepts, and/or one or moreexamples. A physical embodiment of an apparatus, an article ofmanufacture, a machine, and/or of a process may include one or more ofthe aspects, features, concepts, examples, etc. described with referenceto one or more of the embodiments discussed herein. Further, from figureto figure, the embodiments may incorporate the same or similarly namedfunctions, steps, modules, etc. that may use the same or differentreference numbers and, as such, the functions, steps, modules, etc. maybe the same or similar functions, steps, modules, etc. or differentones.

Unless specifically stated to the contra, signals to, from, and/orbetween elements in a figure of any of the figures presented herein maybe analog or digital, continuous time or discrete time, and single-endedor differential. For instance, if a signal path is shown as asingle-ended path, it also represents a differential signal path.Similarly, if a signal path is shown as a differential path, it alsorepresents a single-ended signal path. While one or more particulararchitectures are described herein, other architectures can likewise beimplemented that use one or more data buses not expressly shown, directconnectivity between elements, and/or indirect coupling between otherelements as recognized by one of average skill in the art.

The term “module” is used in the description of one or more of theembodiments. A module implements one or more functions via a device suchas a processor or other processing device or other hardware that mayinclude or operate in association with a memory that stores operationalinstructions. A module may operate independently and/or in conjunctionwith software and/or firmware. As also used herein, a module may containone or more sub-modules, each of which may be one or more modules.

As may further be used herein, a computer readable memory includes oneor more memory elements. A memory element may be a separate memorydevice, multiple memory devices, or a set of memory locations within amemory device. Such a memory device may be a read-only memory, randomaccess memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static memory,dynamic memory, flash memory, cache memory, and/or any device thatstores digital information. The memory device may be in a form asolid-state memory, a hard drive memory, cloud memory, thumb drive,server memory, computing device memory, and/or other physical medium forstoring digital information.

While particular combinations of various functions and features of theone or more embodiments have been expressly described herein, othercombinations of these features and functions are likewise possible. Thepresent disclosure is not limited by the particular examples disclosedherein and expressly incorporates these other combinations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery monitoring and characterization system,the system comprising: a sheath that includes a plurality of electrodes,wherein the sheath is mounted on and affixed to one or more surfaces ofa battery; a drive-sense circuit (DSC) operably coupled to a firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes via a single line, wherein,when enabled, the DSC operably configured to: drive a signal to thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes via the single line andsimultaneously sense the signal via the single line, wherein a change ofa distance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes changes acapacitance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes; and generate adigital signal representative of a change of the capacitance between thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrodeof the plurality of electrodes; memory that stores operationalinstructions; and one or more processing modules operably coupled to theDSC and the memory, wherein, when enabled, the one or more processingmodules configured to execute the operational instructions to: processthe digital signal to determine the change of the capacitance betweenthe first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the secondelectrode of the plurality of electrodes; and estimate the change of thedistance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes andthe second electrode of the plurality of electrodes based on the changeof the capacitance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes. 2.The system of claim 1, wherein, when enabled, the one or more processingmodules further configured to execute the operational instructions to:determine the distance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes basedon the change of the distance between the first electrode of theplurality of electrodes and the second electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes; and determine whether the distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes has increased or decreased based on the changeof the capacitance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes. 3.The system of claim 2, wherein: an initial distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes is predetermined; and a subsequent distancebetween the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and thesecond electrode of the plurality of electrodes is based on the initialdistance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes andthe second electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the change ofthe distance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
 4. The systemof claim 2, wherein: an increase of the distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes corresponds to a decrease of the capacitancebetween the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and thesecond electrode of the plurality of electrodes; and a decrease of thedistance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes andthe second electrode of the plurality of electrodes corresponds to anincrease of the capacitance between the first electrode of the pluralityof electrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.5. The system of claim 2, wherein: an increase of the distance betweenthe first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the secondelectrode of the plurality of electrodes corresponds to a decrease ofthe capacitance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes; andwhen enabled, the one or more processing modules further configured toexecute the operational instructions to estimate at least one ofswelling, bulging, deformation, or expansion of the battery casing ofthe battery based on the increase of the distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes that corresponds to the decrease of thecapacitance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
 6. The systemof claim 5, wherein the at least one of swelling, bulging, deformation,or expansion of the battery casing of the battery is based on gasbuildup within the battery.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein theplurality of electrodes that are integrated into the battery casing ofthe battery are uniformly spaced.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein thesheath includes a flexible material that is configured to flex and moveas the one or more surfaces of the battery flexes and moves.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the sheath is mounted on and affixed to theone or more surfaces of a battery using at least one of an adhesive,epoxy, or a bonding agent.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the DSCfurther comprising: a comparator configured to: receive a referencesignal at a first comparator input and to drive the signal from a secondcomparator input to the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesvia the single line; and generate an output comparator signal based onthe reference signal and the signal; a dependent current source operablycoupled to source a current to the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes via the single line based on control from the outputcomparator signal; and an analog to digital converter (ADC) operablycoupled to a comparator output, wherein, when enabled, the ADCconfigured to process the output comparator signal to generate thedigital signal representative of change of the capacitance between thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrodeof the plurality of electrodes.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein,when enabled, the one or more processing modules further configured toexecute the operational instructions to: generate the reference signal;and provide the reference signal to the first comparator input of thecomparator.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the DSC furthercomprising: a power source circuit operably coupled to the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes via the single line, wherein,when enabled, the power source circuit is configured to provide thesignal that includes at least one of an AC (alternating current)component or a DC (direct current) component to the first electrode ofthe plurality of electrodes via the single line; and a power sourcechange detection circuit operably coupled to the power source circuit,wherein, when enabled, the power source change detection circuit isconfigured to: detect an effect on the signal that is based on thechange the capacitance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes; andgenerate the digital signal representative of the change of thecapacitance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
 13. The systemof claim 12 further comprising: the power source circuit including apower source to source at least one of a voltage or a current to thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes via the single line; andthe power source change detection circuit including: a power sourcereference circuit configured to provide at least one of a voltagereference or a current reference; and a comparator configured to comparethe at least one of the voltage or the current provided to to the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes via the single line to the atleast one of the voltage reference or the current reference inaccordance with producing the signal.
 14. A battery monitoring andcharacterization system, the system comprising: a sheath that includes aplurality of electrodes, wherein the sheath is mounted on and affixed toone or more surfaces of a battery; a drive-sense circuit (DSC) operablycoupled to a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes via a singleline, wherein, when enabled, the DSC operably configured to: drive asignal to the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes via thesingle line and simultaneously sense the signal via the single line,wherein a change of a distance between the first electrode of theplurality of electrodes and a second electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes changes a capacitance between the first electrode of theplurality of electrodes and the second electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes; and generate a digital signal representative of a change ofthe capacitance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes;memory that stores operational instructions; and one or more processingmodules operably coupled to the DSC and the memory, wherein, whenenabled, the one or more processing modules configured to execute theoperational instructions to: process the digital signal to determine thechange of the capacitance between the first electrode of the pluralityof electrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes;estimate the change of the distance between the first electrode of theplurality of electrodes and the second electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes based on the change of the capacitance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes; determine the distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes based on the change of the distance between thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrodeof the plurality of electrodes; and determine whether the distancebetween the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and thesecond electrode of the plurality of electrodes has increased ordecreased based on the change of the capacitance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes, wherein: an initial distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes is predetermined; and a subsequent distancebetween the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and thesecond electrode of the plurality of electrodes is based on the initialdistance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes andthe second electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the change ofthe distance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
 15. The systemof claim 14, wherein: an increase of the distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes corresponds to a decrease of the capacitancebetween the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and thesecond electrode of the plurality of electrodes; and a decrease of thedistance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodes andthe second electrode of the plurality of electrodes corresponds to anincrease of the capacitance between the first electrode of the pluralityof electrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.16. The system of claim 14, wherein: an increase of the distance betweenthe first electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the secondelectrode of the plurality of electrodes corresponds to a decrease ofthe capacitance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes; andwhen enabled, the one or more processing modules further configured toexecute the operational instructions to estimate at least one ofswelling, bulging, deformation, or expansion of the battery casing ofthe battery based on the increase of the distance between the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrode of theplurality of electrodes that corresponds to the decrease of thecapacitance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
 17. The systemof claim 16, wherein the at least one of swelling, bulging, deformation,or expansion of the battery casing of the battery is based on gasbuildup within the battery.
 18. The system of claim 14, wherein the DSCfurther comprising: a comparator configured to: receive a referencesignal at a first comparator input and to drive the signal from a secondcomparator input to the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesvia the single line; and generate an output comparator signal based onthe reference signal and the signal; a dependent current source operablycoupled to source a current to the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes via the single line based on control from the outputcomparator signal; and an analog to digital converter (ADC) operablycoupled to a comparator output, wherein, when enabled, the ADCconfigured to process the output comparator signal to generate thedigital signal representative of change of the capacitance between thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes and the second electrodeof the plurality of electrodes.
 19. The system of claim 14, wherein theDSC further comprising: a power source circuit operably coupled to thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes via the single line,wherein, when enabled, the power source circuit is configured to providethe signal that includes at least one of an AC (alternating current)component or a DC (direct current) component to the first electrode ofthe plurality of electrodes via the single line; and a power sourcechange detection circuit operably coupled to the power source circuit,wherein, when enabled, the power source change detection circuit isconfigured to: detect an effect on the signal that is based on thechange the capacitance between the first electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes; andgenerate the digital signal representative of the change of thecapacitance between the first electrode of the plurality of electrodesand the second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
 20. The systemof claim 19 further comprising: the power source circuit including apower source to source at least one of a voltage or a current to thefirst electrode of the plurality of electrodes via the single line; andthe power source change detection circuit including: a power sourcereference circuit configured to provide at least one of a voltagereference or a current reference; and a comparator configured to comparethe at least one of the voltage or the current provided to to the firstelectrode of the plurality of electrodes via the single line to the atleast one of the voltage reference or the current reference inaccordance with producing the signal.